Democrat Andrew Gillum, who would be state’s first black governor, to face the Trump-backed Ron DeSantis

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A liberal Florida Democrat has pulled off an upset in the state’s primary for governor, while Donald Trump’s favoured candidate cruised to victory for the Republicans, setting up a polarising midterm showdown in one of the nation’s fiercest political battlegrounds.

The mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, would become the state’s first black governor if he beats Ron DeSantis, US representative for Florida’s 6th district. Both men defeated more moderate opponents aligned with their parties’ establishment.

Gillum is his party’s third black gubernatorial nominee this campaign cycle, after Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Ben Jealous in Maryland. His victory comes as Democrats have elevated an increasingly diverse field of female, black and Muslim candidates.

The slate of candidates heading into November’s midterm elections is seen as a manifestation of the party’s resistance in the racially charged atmosphere of the Trump era.

Gillum came from behind in a crowded Democratic field, defeating the one-time frontrunner Gwen Graham, a former US representative and daughter of an ex-governor, Bob Graham.

The Tallahassee mayor was a favourite of progressives, pulling off an upset despite spending the least money of the five major Democratic candidates and having the smallest television presence.

“My wife refers to me as Seabiscuit. We sort of were counted out at many points. People thought we would not make it, but we kept going, slow and steady,” Gillum told CNN on Wednesday morning. “People didn’t think we had a chance, but we did.”

Gillum, 39, is the son of a bus driver and a construction worker, and the father of three young children.

He often said he was the only candidate in the race who was not a millionaire or billionaire, and won the endorsement of the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.

But he was not entirely without deep-pocketed support – the liberal billionaires George Soros and Tom Steyer backed him, spending their money on field organising rather than TV ads.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ron DeSantis with his wife, Casey. Photograph: Phelan M Ebenhack/AP

“I’m a Democrat, but most importantly I’m a Floridian who wants to build a state that has room for everybody,” Gillum said on CNN. “And for a voter who again will find me not a candidate they can choose, maybe for superficial reasons, then you know, God bless them. But my belief is that there are more voters with basic and common sense values who believe that we can do the right thing in this state, and again win.”

Gillum’s progressive agenda includes supporting calls for a $15-an-hour minimum wage, Medicare for all and opposing Florida’s controversial stand-your-ground self-defense law, which gained international notoriety in 2012 with the killing of an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin. But he has also faced criticism over a long-running FBI investigation into alleged corruption at Tallahassee City Hall.

The Florida results came on the same night that in Arizona, Rep Martha McSally, the Republican establishment favourite, fended off competitive challenges from the far right to win her party’s nomination for the seat being vacated by the retiring Senator Jeff Flake. That race was overshadowed by the death of John McCain, a towering figure who represented Arizona in the Senate for six terms.

Florida and Arizona are both closely watched states, featuring growing minority populations that have bolstered Democratic candidates while Republican electorates have grown older and more conservative.

Play Video 0:31 Ron DeSantis has released an ad indoctrinating his children into Trumpism - video

In Florida, DeSantis gave Trump credit for his victory, saying that the president “kind of put me on the map” with a supportive tweet.

The results immediately transformed the Florida race into one of the key gubernatorial campaigns in the country. Gillum’s primary victory could help Democrats boost enthusiasm among minorities, while DeSantis will test Trump’s grip on a crucial state he won in 2016 and wants to keep in his column in 2020.

Trump surprised Florida Republicans with his frequent tweets about DeSantis, one of his staunchest supporters in Washington. His backing helped push DeSantis past the state agriculture commissioner, Adam Putnam, who has held elected office in Florida since 1996 and raised millions of dollars from his establishment supporters.

Trump warns of ‘violence’ if GOP loses midterms in private talk with clergy – report Read more

Florida’s current governor, Rick Scott, is vacating the role to run for the Senate. He easily won his primary, setting up a showdown with Democratic Senator Bill Nelson that is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive races.

Democrats are also eyeing congressional seats in Florida as they try to take control of the House of Representatives in November. One of their best chances is in south Florida, where the Republican representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is retiring in a district that should favour Democrats.

Donna Shalala, who served as Bill Clinton’s health and human services secretary, claimed the Democratic nomination in Ros-Lehtinen’s district.

