The Democratic nominee in the contest to be Florida's next governor said Wednesday that voters will see through Republican candidate Ron DeSantis' controversial "monkey" comment and won't fall for plays out of the Trump "manual."

"It's very clear that Mr. DeSantis is taking a page directly from the campaign manual of Donald Trump, but I think he has got another thing coming to him if he thinks that in today's day and age Florida voters are going to respond to that level of derision and division, they are sick of it," Andrew Gillum said in a Fox News interview Wednesday afternoon.

Early Wednesday, just hours off their primary wins Tuesday, Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., told Fox News that voters should not " monkey this up" by voting for a candidate who has a socialist agenda and wants to increase taxes.

Host Shepard Smith asked if the comment was "racist" or a "figment of speech." Gillum, who is black, indicated he did not believe the remark was not a mere accident.

"In the handbook of Donald Trump, they no longer do whistle calls. They are now using full bull horns," said Gillum.

"What I have got to say about that is we have got to make sure that we stay focused, I think, on the issues that confront everyday people. I'm not going to get down in the gutter with DeSantis and Trump. There is enough of that going on," he added. "We are going to win this race because we are going to stay high."

Both men are running to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is running for the Senate.

[Related: Fox News host says 'we do not condone' Ron DeSantis' 'monkey this up' comment referring to black opponent]