Florida governor debate: Gillum clashes with DeSantis in heated final exchange before vote
Second debate between candidates marked by negative attacks
Florida governor candidates Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis have exchanged sharp personal barbs in a heated second — and final — debate before voters take to the polls next month to determine which candidate will lead their state for the next four years.
The pair dragged one another through the mud on the debate stage at Broward College in Davie, Florida, where they were asked to describe their plan for the state on issue ranging from the environment, immigration, healthcare, and education.
But, they repeatedly returned to personal attacks in the process, suggesting the race has turned into an all-out verbal brawl as the candidates enter the home stretch of an election that has drawn national attention as something of a proxy to larger political headwinds in America.
“We have seen the collapsing of our political discourse,” Mr Gillum, the mayor of Tallahasee, said early in the debate when asked about a string of pipe bombs that had been sent to the offices and homes of Democratic leaders across the country on Wednesday. “My opponent, endorsed by him, has run this race very, very close to the Trump handbook, where we call each other names, where we run false advertisements”.
Mr DeSantis, a former US congressman with the backing of President Donald Trump, repeatedly attacked Mr Gillum over text messages that were recently revealed showing the Tallahassee governor communicating about receiving tickets to the play Hamilton that were provided by an undercover FBI agent.
“He wants you believe that he’s not under investigation,” Mr DeSantis said. “Why would an undercover FBI agent posing as a contractor give you a ticket to Hamilton?”
The Democrat has repeatedly insisted that he has been told he is not the subject of an FBI investigation, but recognised that his handling of the situation has led to problems. There is no indication that the FBI is investigating Mr Gillum.
“I take responsibility for not having asked more questions,” Mr Gillum said during the debate, noting that he was under the impression that his brother had returned the favor for the Hamilton tickets by giving Beyoncé and Jay-Z tickets to the individual they received the play tickets from. “But let me tell you, I’m running for governor. In the state of Florida we have many issues. And tickets to Hamilton ain’t one of them.”
If you want to know how the debate unfolded, check our live coverage below
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Here is a fact check on the issue of 'sanctuary cities' in Florida.
Mr DeSantis is suggesting that Mr Gillum would allow sanctuary cities in the state of Florida, and said that means a child molester would be taken to prison but then released back into the US instead of being deported.
"That child molester will reoffend and someone's mother or daughter will pay the price," Mr DeSantis said in a particularly tense moment.
More from PoltiFact, which has just been name checked by Mr Gillum:
Though the audience has been asked to keep quiet, parts of it appear to be siding with Mr Gillum, cheering and applauding loudly at some of his quips while at times booing Mr DeSantis.
"He has too many degrees not to get it," Mr Gillum says at one point while driving an attack on Mr DeSantis, eliciting laughter and clapping from the audience.
The moderator pleads with the audience to keep neutral, he is having little luck in doing so.
Mr DeSantis just lost his cool a bit when asked about his association with an activist who has made racially charged statements.
The candidate had attended the David Horowitz Freedom Center conferences in Palm Beach, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina, for several years in a row. That conference is run by a man who has a history of racially charged statements.
Mr DeSantis argued that the comments had not been made when he attended the events. The moderator responded that he had.
"Well how the hell am I supposed to know" every statement someone makes, Mr DeSantis shouted, interrupting the moderator.
Mr Gillum responded with another quote from his grandmother "My grandmother used to say a hit dog will holler and it hollered through this room".
He later followed up on the suggestions: "I'm not calling Mr DeSantis a racist. I'm simply saying the racists consider him a racist".
The candidates are now being asked about the environment.
Mr Gillum suggested that Mr DeSantis does not believe in science, and promised to take steps to cut back on overdevelopment, and to get rid of the "blue green algae" on the coasts of the state.
Mr DeSantis, meanwhile, said that he has the leadership abilities to take on environmental issues, and promised it is a priority for him.
"I have the vision, but you also have to have the leadership to get this stuff done," he said. "I will win the race and this will be a top priority to me. We will get this done".
Mr Gillum responded by bringing up Mr DeSantis's record on the environment while serving as a congressman.
"He ranked a number 3 out of 100 by environmental agencies in Washington, DC, based on his congressional record," Mr Gillum said. "I have friends who did worse in high school and never got a three. He is at the bottom".
A bit on Mr DeSantis' infamous 'monkey this up' quote. In an early interview, Mr DeSantis had called on his state to 'not monkey this up' for the state by voting for the black Mr Gillum.
He has faced heat over the remark, which he has said was not racist, ever since. It seems he has had enough.
The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has been brought up, and Mr DeSantis said that his primary concern to keep schools safe is security.
Mr Gillum then attacked Mr DeSantis for his relationship with the National Rifle Association, a lobbying group Mr Gillum said he has fought during his career.
He then told voters what he would do as governor on guns: "It's not a threat to the Second Amendment. If you want to own the power of god at your waist belt you should have a background check," Mr Gillum said. "If you're a domestic violence abuser you should not have a weapon to snuff out the life of a loved one".
The candidates are now on to their closing arguments.
Mr DeSantis has promised to protect the environment, and to fight for the economy. He also aligned himself with police, saying that "the least we can do is stand by them".
Mr Gillum, for his part, mentioned that he comes from a blue collar family. He then named roppe
"In Trump's America many of us have forgotten that we are in this together," Mr Gillum said. "We have an opportunity on November 6 to send a loud, unapologetic message that common decency" is still alive in Florida.
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