A.G. Gancarski
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried is bringing her closing argument tour to Jacksonville Wednesday evening, in what some polls are saying is an increasingly tight race with former Gov. Charlie Crist, who has dominated throughout in terms of endorsements and fundraising.
As her speech Tuesday night in Tallahassee showed, her closing argument is very much targeted to female voters.
This is in part because of the uncertainty of the post-Dobbs reproductive health climate, but also illustrates what she perceives as a sexist double standard in how the Primary race has been framed by media, regarding recent tough reporting about a variety of issues, including her former friendship with Republican Matt Gaetz and other negative stories that have surfaced at inconvenient times.
“Absolutely a double standard,” Fried told Florida Politics during an interview in Jacksonville’s Springfield neighborhood.
“That’s why it’s also important that a woman gets elected Governor, to break that glass ceiling. Because the sexism that we feel on an everyday basis, asking if I’m qualified, asking if I’m electable. Those are not questions that get asked to male counterparts,” Fried contended, before suggesting many of her critics ignore her track record over the last four years.
“And the fact of the matter is I’m a statewide elected officer, a member of the Florida Cabinet, overseeing a $1.9 billion agency with 4,600 employees,” Fried recounted. “I’ve been a practicing attorney for almost 19 years.”
“I’m more than qualified. I’m more than electable. I’m the only one who has actually been elected in this race as a Democrat,” Fried added. “There has been a double standard. Charlie was a Republican for most of his career.”
Fried noted the “double standard” definitely applied in this case.
“The decisions he made when he was a Republican Governor, Republican Attorney General, Republican Commissioner of Education, Republican Senator are having drastic impacts today,” Fried said.
Fried has tied issues like parental notification about underage abortions to Crist increasingly of late, saying Crist once said that law “is one of his signature ‘pro-life’ achievements.”
While most polls still show Crist ahead, one public survey this week suggested Fried is surging at the most important time in this campaign. A statewide poll from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab showed Fried ahead of Crist, 47% to 43%.
That lead is seven points with voters who see the future of legalized abortion as a major issue, speaking to the salience of the reproductive rights messaging. Female voters generally break to Fried here, 55% to 35%, while Crist is 17 points up with men.
11 comments
Just a comment
August 17, 2022 at 2:15 pm
Those questions are asked all the time regardless of gender
A glass ceiling is much like a glass House do not throw rocks
Just a comment
August 17, 2022 at 2:31 pm
Like a message from above one big Stone
No Party Affiliation Guy
August 17, 2022 at 2:34 pm
She is a democrat, that’s what they do. Never consider their positions are the issue, or that she was charged with campaign finance violations…. No…… please .
Impeach Biden
August 17, 2022 at 2:40 pm
No Nikki. People just don’t care for mean spirited lunatics like yourself. Have a slice of humble pie and say you are sorry to Ron DeSantis for all of your shenanigans since you’ve been Ag Commissioner.
Joe Corsin
August 17, 2022 at 3:47 pm
^ Hardcore neo-nazi lunatic calling others lunatics. Just no insight. Need therapy..
Craig Vincent Mitchell
August 17, 2022 at 6:05 pm
cry me a river.
Just a comment
August 17, 2022 at 7:47 pm
Yes theirs a lot of double standards but having a degree is good a lot of women had great positions. I think it was pay
On the other hand if a woman makes blue collar theirs not much choices
Just a comment
August 17, 2022 at 7:50 pm
Yes their still is a lot of double standards.
But if you’re blue collar level then you can say sexist
Plus women where always at higher points of job’s not all positions but that you have to gain on your own
Domino
August 17, 2022 at 9:27 pm
What will UNF’s A- pollster rating be Wednesday morning?
just sayin
August 18, 2022 at 1:33 pm
Clock is ticking, Nikki.
martin
August 18, 2022 at 4:34 pm
She thinks she is “electable” for a higher office? In what alternative universe does she reside in? Clearly she has risen to her level of incompetence.
Comments are closed.