Sen. Bernie Sanders has achieved rockstar status ever since running in the 2016 presidential election. While he didn’t win, he has maintained that status, so when he rolled into town to speak at a rally for Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is running to be the Democratic nominee in the Florida gubernatorial race, it was no surprise that several hundred young, progressive voters turned up at UCF’s CFE Arena for a chance to hear him speak.
Governor-hopeful Gillum, who earned an endorsement from Bernie, spoke about the same values that Bernie campaigned on: affordable healthcare, increasing the minimum wage and equality for all. Before Bernie and Andrew came to the stage, the crowd was greeted by our own proud progressive, feminist, queer, Latinx, Democrat, state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith.Smith talked about Gillum taking on the NRA in court, standing up to Gov. Rick Scott and President Trump on immigration and standing up to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on same-sex marriage.
“I am proud to stand with Mayor Gillum because he’s not only running a progressive campaign, he is running an inspirational campaign,” Smith said.
Smith’s impassioned introduction was made all the more impressive when you realize he was on stage speaking only a week after having his appendix removed. A little surgery never stopped our community progressive, feminist, queer, Latinx, Democrat.
It was even enough to impress Bernie himself who endorsed Carlos in his own reelection campaign for District 49. Bernie also endorsed Anna Eskimani for District 47 and Lee Mangold for District 28, among others.
