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FORT MYERS, Fla. – reEmpress Andrew Gillum invaded southwestern Florida in a dark red color on the eve of a visit from President Trump. He managed to avoid any discussion of bribery charges by answering questions from people selected by his staff at an event held Tuesday night.
Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee who hopes to be Florida's next governor, traded talks with Trump on Monday after Trump called Gillum a "stone thief" for accepting gifts and money. an FBI agent posing as a developer.
He replied to Trump in a tweet: "As my grandmother told me, never fight with a pig. You're both dirty, but the pig likes that. So ignore it and vote, Florida! Gillum is the subject of an ethics investigation but does not claim to be the subject of an FBI investigation.
Gillum repeated the pig-fight counterattack at Tuesday's plenary session in Fort Myers and was no longer questioned about the ethical charges against him. Instead, most questions focused on the state's environmental issues, such as persistent algal blooms and the proliferation of invasive pythons in the Everglades, and Gillum's actions in this regard.
Nobody questioned the corruption charges, and voters at the mayor's office later dismissed the scandals he faced as an exaggeration of the media.
One voter said Gillum's actions were far less troubling than allegations made by former governors, including incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott, who, prior to running for president, held the position of CEO of Columbia / HCA, who paid $ 1.7 billion for fraud.
"It's a minor," said Ken Jaros, a retired engineer from Cape Coral, questioned on charges of corruption against Gillum, including the acceptance of a $ 1,000 "Hamilton" ticket by undercover agent of the FBI.
"They make a bigger affair than normal."
Gillum has fought against allegations of corruption that have been spreading in the media for weeks. Last week, Gillum did not report the contribution of an FBI agent posing as a developer and a new report on Tuesday that he used his mayor's funds to fund a trip to meet with donors before his decision to run for governorship. .
Shari Lenz, a Cape Coral government employee, said she was unaware of the need to believe the media reporting that Gillum was accepting money from the FBI agent or a travel with lobbyists in Costa Rica in which he seems not to have paid. its hotel rooms.
"At the moment, it's all about rumors and opinion," Lenz said.
Former President Barack Obama will hold a rally for the Democratic ticket in Florida on Nov. 2, with the goal, like Trump, of inspiring grassroots enthusiasm.
Gillum and his Republican opponent, Rep. Ron DeSantis, campaign in counties that voted against their party in 2016.
DeSantis Tuesday morning campaigned in Hillsborough County, which in 2016 supported Democrat Hillary Clinton vs. Trump from 52% to 45%. DeSantis told the Washington Examiner Its goal is not necessarily to win Hillsborough, but to get as many votes as possible and maybe slightly reduce the GOP margin of loss.
Gillum has a much steeper climb in Lee County, home of Fort Myers and part of the almost-red-hot Southwest part of the state, DeSantis, which hopes to lead him to victory. The county overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2016, supporting the president against Democrat Hillary Clinton, from 59% to 38%.
But Gillum predicted that the effort would bear fruit.
"We're going into red, blue, purple areas," Gillum said in a crowded auditorium located in a Fort Myers recreation center. "We are going to areas where people have not seen Democratic nominees for the governorship contesting the vote."
"We will make this blue state," he added.
An average of recent polls shows that Gillum has a chance – he leads his Republican opponent Ron DeSantis, but only by a few points.
Trump will hold a rally in Fort Myers on Wednesday to urge the GOP base to vote for DeSantis, as well as for Scott, a candidate for the Senate and tie in the polls with his Democratic opponent, Democrat Bill Nelson.
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