Gwen Graham is officially running for governor. She’s the daughter of Bob Graham, the popular former senator and governor. And she’s a former Florida congresswoman. She’s also running to make history as Florida’s first female governor.
But timing, as we all know, is everything. Just ask President Hillary Clinton.
Regardless of a candidate’s credentials, it’s typically the tempo of the times and the nature of the opposition that matter most.
For Dems intent upon retaking Congress and statehouses, it’s about the “resistance.” It’s about rallying to a cause. It’s ideological, it’s emotional, it’s visceral. It’s anti-Trump and all his calculating, GOPster sycophants. It’s about taking back the country–and the state.
But while Graham made her formal announcement in Miami Gardens, her congressional track record was made in North Florida’s second congressional district. One that wouldn’t countenance a flagrant progressive. That’s why her voting record includes rolling back Wall Street regulations, favoring the Keystone pipeline and supporting tougher immigration restrictions on Syrian refugees. Not exactly the “Indivisibles” idea of a Democratic hat trick. She also opposes gun control. Pragmatic Panhandle pandering won’t be a good enough explanation.
Right now the Democratic Party needs someone to rally around and help gin up the vote in a non-presidential year. Gwen Graham, lineage and name recognition notwithstanding, is not exactly perfectly positioned.
And the opposition? Among others, Andrew Gillum and (likely) John Morgan in her own party. The former is the young, ambitious, black, charismatic mayor of Tallahassee, and the latter is John “For The People” Morgan. Enough said.