With Election Day approaching, the candidates for Florida governor and lieutenant governor are making stops across South Florida, focusing on affordability, immigration and the economy as both parties work to mobilize voters.
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Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Gwen Graham is taking a hands-on approach to campaigning, preparing lunches for pickup during what she calls a “work day” — a tradition inspired by her late father, former Florida governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who was known for connecting directly with voters.
“This is my 64th work day,” Graham said.
During this last visit, Graham said, voters have repeatedly raised concerns about the rising cost of living.
“I have one gentleman who said my rent has quadrupled in the last years,” she said, adding that about half of Floridians are living paycheck to paycheck.
Graham argued that Republicans, who have controlled Florida’s governorship for roughly three decades, should be held accountable for the state’s economic challenges.
At Kasa Champet, a Haitian restaurant in Pembroke Pines, Graham also pointed to the impact of immigration enforcement on immigrant communities and local businesses.
“Cruelty is the point. We’re not talking about criminals. We’re talking about communities that are being attacked by ICE,” Graham said.
She also pushed back against republican political messaging portraying Democrats as socialists.
“People know. They know me, they know my dad. We’re not socialists. It’s just they trying to create fear. They’re trying to create division,” Graham said.
Meanwhile, her partner, Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly, is seeking to capitalize on a tightening race. Recent polling cited by the campaign shows the contest is close, while former President Bill Clinton visited Broward County on Tuesday to campaign for Jolly and help energize Democratic voters.
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Jolly said his campaign sees a path to victory by improving its performance across the state.
“Yeah, math is math. Where we have won in the past, we gotta win by more. Where we have lost, we gotta lose by less, and so every vote matters,” Jolly said.
On the Republican side, lieutenant governor candidate Bryan Avila began his day at Islas Canarias, a Cuban restaurant in West Miami-Dade, highlighting the campaign’s statewide outreach.
“We have driven over 10,000 miles and visited over 55 cities,” Avila said.
Avila later joined Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds at The Floridian in Fort Lauderdale.
Donalds said he wanted to focus on his own agenda rather than discuss Jolly, emphasizing education, support for small businesses and lowering household expenses.
“What we need to do as a government is make sure we’re lowering insurance costs in our state, that we’re lowering the cost of housing in our state … that we reform our government to make sure we can make a Florida that is more affordable for everybody,” Donalds said.
He reiterated that affordability should be a priority for Floridians of all ages.
“We want Florida to be affordable for everyone in our state. We want it affordable for our seniors living out their golden years. We want it affordable for our working families in our state,” Donalds said.
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