Andrew Gillum says Ron DeSantis 'monkey' comment is straight out of Trump handbook

William Cummings | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Analysis: High-stakes primaries in Florida and Arizona Tuesday's primary elections featured races in two political battleground states, Florida and Arizona, and were being followed by voters around the country. AP Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace explains. (Aug. 29)

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, now the Democratic candidate to become Florida's next governor, said his Republican opponent Rep. Ron DeSantis took "a page directly from the campaign manual" of President Donald Trump with remarks about Gillum that were widely condemned as racist.

Gillum, an African-American progressive who was endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, won his primary in a startling upset Tuesday night.

The Trump-backed DeSantis, who also won his primary Tuesday, called Gillum an "articulate spokesman" for "far-left views" during an interview Wednesday and warned Florida voters not to "monkey this up" by electing him.

When asked about DeSantis' comment during an interview later the same day, Gillum told Fox News host Shepard Smith, "That part wasn't lost on me." ,

"It's very clear that Mr. De Santis is taking a page directly from the campaign manual of Donald Trump," he said. "But I think he's 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."

When asked if he thought the comment was racist, Gillum said that in "the handbook of Donald Trump, they no longer do whistle calls. They're now using full bullhorns."

But Gillum said he wants to "stay focused on the issues that confront everyday people."

"I'm not going to get down in the gutter with DeSantis and Trump. There's enough of that going on," he said. "We're going to win this race because we're going to stay high and we're going to remind Floridians of the true spirit of the American way."

Gillum's comments echoed and earlier condemnation of DeSantis' remarks by Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo who said it was "disgusting" that the Republican candidate "is launching his general election campaign with racist dog whistles."

DeSantis insisted he was merely warning Floridians about the folly in embracing Gillum's "social agenda" and said it is "absurd to think I'm trying to take a jab at anyone for ethnic or racial reasons."

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