Campaign

Sanders to campaign for Florida Dem governor candidate

by Max Greenwood - 08/15/18 3:55 PM ET

Florida Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Gillum is set to get an assist from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday.

The former presidential candidate will travel to the Sunshine State for two campaign events with Gillum, the current Tallahassee mayor who’s campaigning as a progressive.

Gillum, who previously won Sanders’s endorsement, announced the two stops — one in Tampa and another in Orlando — on Tuesday.

Friday is going to be a big day — join @BernieSanders & me in Tampa for a rally as we get ready to #BringItHome! RSVP for tickets here: https://t.co/Exkzq1Diut #GillumForGovernor pic.twitter.com/4W4rYsnGNL

— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) August 14, 2018

And then join us in Orlando for another rally on Friday afternoon! We’re proud to have @BernieSanders on the trail with us as we get ready to #BringItHome! RSVP here: https://t.co/Exkzq1Diut pic.twitter.com/xq6LwS0X2D

— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) August 14, 2018

{mosads}The scheduled campaign events come just over two weeks after President Trump made his way to the state for a campaign-style rally in which he stumped for Rep. Ron DeSantis (R), who’s running for the GOP’s nomination to replace Gov. Rick Scott (R).

Gillum is facing four other Democratic challengers in the state’s Aug. 28 primary: former Rep. Gwen Graham, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, real estate investor Jeff Greene and businessman Chris King.

Sanders has thrown his support behind a number of progressive candidates in races across the country. But he has often waited until just weeks — and sometimes days — before elections to make in-person appearances.

In Michigan, for example, Sanders stumped for Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Abdul El-Sayed just two days before the state’s primary. El-Sayed was ultimately defeated by former state Sen. Gretchen Whitmer.

Likewise, Sanders’s candidates of choice in the Democratic primary to represent Kansas’ 3rd District, Brent Welder, was defeated by another progressive, Sharice Davids.