Million dollar man: Gillum has best fundraising day in face of DeSantis, Trump attacks More than a million dollars flow into campaign after Trump and DeSantis slam Mayor as a failed socialist who’ll “monkey up” Florida.

James Call | Tallahassee Democrat

Show Caption Hide Caption Gillum wins the nomination for governor Andrew Gillum celebrates his victory as he wins the Democratic nomination for Governor

Andrew Gillum's historic come-from-behind primary win coupled by a volley of attacks from his Republican opponents has opened a floodgate of cash for the Tallahassee mayor's quest to be the next governor of Florida.

On Wednesday, the 39-year-old Democratic nominee had his best day of fundraising – collecting more than $1 million. On Thursday, the Democratic Governors Association sent his political committee a million-dollar check.

According to the latest finance reports, the account had $200,000 after his primary victory. The money flow began in the wake of Gillum's unlikely victory Tuesday and President Trump's tweet that the Democratic nominee was a “failed socialist.”

Then Republican opponent Ron DeSantis went on Fox News to warn that Gillum would “monkey up” the Florida economy. The comments activated Democratic donors.

“Gillum is not going to have to want for money. There’s going to be plenty of money into his campaign, plenty of PACs thanks to the monkey comment,” said Susan MacManus, an expert on Florida politics.

The retired University of South Florida political scientist said Gillum’s base of younger voters is more racially and ethnically diverse and more conscious of social justice and the need for criminal justice reform. The Gillum campaign called out the remarks as a coded “bullhorn” of racism.

Sunshine State Shocker:

The $1 million day doubled Gillum's governor's account best week of fundraising in the campaign’s 18 months and matched the PAC’s best week.

The DeSantis campaign finance report showed DeSantis had $500,000 on hand for the campaign’s final week. The political committee aligned with the campaign reported $2.7 million on Aug. 23. A federal committee DeSantis organized for a Senate campaign had $724,000, according to a February report.

When asked about DeSantis’ Day One fundraising, a campaign spokesman said he would respond later.

Gillum emerged from a crowded field of Democrats to win the nomination on the crest of a late surge, which took him from fourth place in the final two weeks, past frontrunners Gwen Graham and Philip Levine and big ad buyer Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene.

The Democratic nominee, the first black man to win a major party's nomination in Florida, Gillum awoke Wednesday morning to a President Donald Trump tweet calling him a "failed socialist mayor" leading a troubled city.

Soon afterward, DeSantis, the Trump-endorsed GOP nominee, went on Fox News and warned a Gillum win would “monkey” up the state’s economy – comments dubbed racist by the Florida Democratic Party.

While money began to flow into Gillum’s campaign accounts, spokesman Geoff Burgan went on MSNBC and asked Trump and DeSantis to “keep on talking”

Forty-eight hours later the Gillum campaign had accumulated more than $2 million in contributions – more than double its best week in the campaign’s 18 months of existence.

Reporter James Call can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com.