Miami
FLORIDA Nikki Fried says Florida Republicans are turning to Trump for a campaign boost
The Florida Democratic Party chair argued that Donald Trump’s visit to support Byron Donalds shows Republican campaigns are struggling. She also cast visits by national Democrats as a sign that Florida is becoming competitive.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried criticized Donald Trump’s trip to the state to support gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, calling it a late push to prop up Florida Republicans, Florida Politics reported.
According to the outlet, Fried told reporters that Republicans have chosen Trump’s political backing over the people they were elected to represent. She also argued that, while working families are struggling with basic costs, Republican leaders are once again welcoming the former president.
Florida Politics reported that Fried also said Florida Republicans consistently put political power ahead of voters and singled out Byron Donalds. In that context, she said the candidate tried to create distance from Trump by removing references to the president from his website before quickly moving back toward him. In her view, there is no separating from that presidency.
Fried also addressed other national figures traveling to Florida: former President Bill Clinton to back David Jolly in the governor’s race, and Sen. Bernie Sanders along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to support Senate candidate Angie Nixon, a state lawmaker from Jacksonville.
As reported by Florida Politics, the party chair presented those visits as evidence that Democrats have strong candidates across the ballot and that momentum is shifting in their favor. She added that polls are within the margin of error in a state once seen as safely Republican, and said national figures and donors are beginning to view Florida as a battleground again.
Trump is scheduled to speak Friday afternoon in Fort Myers at Alico Arena on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University. Opening speakers are set to begin at 2 p.m., according to Florida Politics.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
