There's a girl named Nikki who’s trying to shake up American politics.Nikki Haley? No, Nikki Fried.Whereas Fried could not but be a family identify like the previous South Carolina governor and presumptive 2024 GOP presidential candidate, she nonetheless has her eyes on an workplace greater than her present one as Florida's commissioner of agriculture. And she or he is utilizing her publish to needle the person who presently holds the job many assume she desires, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.Just lately, Fried, the highest Democrat within the state, has lambasted DeSantis over his order to decrease flags in Florida following the demise of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, whom the governor known as "a legend." And she or he has criticized DeSantis over his administration's administration of the coronavirus vaccine rollout and known as for an FBI investigation.Showing on CNN on Feb. 22, Fried mentioned of DeSantis' embrace of Limbaugh: "What he's doing is bending over backwards to honor a radio host who spent his total profession speaking hate speech and speaking bigotry and division and conspiracy theories." She mentioned staff in her division wouldn’t be decreasing any flags. On Thursday, she put extra warmth on DeSantis after the Miami Herald reported that since DeSantis started utilizing "pop-up" vaccinations in sure communities, his political committee has raised $2.7 million within the month of February alone, greater than some other month since he ran for governor in 2018. One resident of the rich personal enclave of Ocean Reef in Key Largo who acquired a vaccine, former Republican governor of Illinois and former chairman of the Chicago-based personal fairness agency GTCR Bruce Rauner gave a $250,000 donation. A spokesperson for DeSantis mentioned he was not concerned in deciding on the Ocean Reef Membership for the early vaccine distribution, in response to the Herald.Fried tweeted Thursday morning "Vaccines for political {dollars} is corruption at its worst — costing lives, time, and belief. We want an impartial investigation now."Taking over DeSantis, who modeled himself on Donald Trump and enjoys the help of many within the Trump wing of the Republican Get together, is likely to be seen as a daring and doubtlessly dangerous transfer for somebody whose first enterprise into elective politics got here solely three years in the past. However, as Fried confirmed in 2018, she just isn’t somebody to be underestimated.And, in a current Mason-Dixon ballot, Fried got here in second to DeSantis amongst voters requested a couple of potential 2022 matchup. DeSantis outpolled her 51% to 42%, nonetheless her unfavorables had been far decrease and 37% mentioned they didn’t acknowledge her, suggesting she may acquire new help. Former Gov. Charlie Crist, who can be talked about as a possible 2022 candidate, got here in at 41% to DeSantis' 52%.As for her early strikes, College of South Florida Distinguished College Professor Emerita Susan MacManus says, "It appears like she is attempting to scare off potential opponents."A Miami native, Fried has the pedigree for Florida politics. On the College of Florida, she earned a bachelor's diploma in political science, a grasp's in political campaigning and a legislation diploma. She held prime posts as chancellor of the honour court docket, president of the coed senate and examine physique. She was a member of Florida Blue Key, an honorary society that has performed an outsized function within the state's politics and whose alumni have included governors, senators and judges.The observe of legislation beckoned, with jobs at one of many state's powerhouse corporations, Holland & Knight, then a stint as a public defender earlier than working in personal observe in South Florida.Then she turned a lobbyist, representing a various vary of shoppers. And she or he discovered herself in the appropriate place on the proper time, as Florida turned considered one of many states contemplating the legalization of medical marijuana. Fried helped these searching for the coveted early licenses for the fledgling business and shortly had her palms full, deciding to launch her personal lobbying store with the catchy identify "Ignite Florida."The marijuana business was on a excessive; in 2016, Florida voters overwhelmingly authorized a constitutional modification that legalized medical marijuana which the legislature a yr later applied however selected to ban smoking of it. Fried lobbied closely for alleviating restrictions on medical marijuana and established herself as a key participant within the younger business. "Marijuana helped her attain out to people," says Max Flugrath, who served as communications director on Fried's 2018 marketing campaign and stays a key adviser, working along with her political committee. "She has such a powerful background in it, she's very well-known within the hashish neighborhood for her advocacy."It additionally allowed her to make connections with business leaders, who would show worthwhile to her political ambitions. As her profile rose, Fried started serious about working for workplace. The agriculture commissioner might need appeared an odd selection, on condition that the division has an extended historical past of being led by white males with white hair who hailed from the state's much less populous cattle and citrus counties. However whereas the workplace is related to cows and oranges, it really has a far broader portfolio as mirrored in its full identify, the Florida Division of Agriculture and Shopper Companies. Along with overseeing medical marijuana, it’s the state's major client safety company. Amongst its myriad duties: overseeing the varsity lunch program, regulating pawn retailers, journey brokers and personal eyes. And it points hid weapons permits. As if that was not sufficient, it’s charged with creating and implementing administration practices for sustaining the state's water high quality.The trifecta of "weed, weapons and water" proved the proper mixture of points on which to run a statewide marketing campaign. And she or he acquired some free publicity when Wells Fargo closed her marketing campaign checking account after studying she favored legalizing marijuana and accepted donations from the business. "We’ve got an amazing impression on each single a part of their lives," Fried says of how she tried to make Floridians, particularly these within the state's city facilities like Miami, conscious of the division's relevance. "It was making folks conscious that client safety is a part of our job."Throughout the marketing campaign, it got here to mild that her predecessor Adam Putnam (then working in opposition to DeSantis for the GOP nomination for governor) had mishandled purposes for weapons permits and that his workplace was cozy with the NRA. "I promised to kick the NRA out of my workplace," Fried says.The third "w" was the emergence of Purple Tide, a poisonous algae bloom that emerged off the southwest coast of Florida in 2017 and unfold into 2018. For a state famed for its seashores and depending on tourism, the images of lifeless marine life and fouled water reminded the state's residents how fragile its setting might be. She informed Boston public radio station WBUR in 2019 "I used to be on the market loads throughout the marketing campaign path and speaking to so a lot of our fishermen which have many years of, generations of, being out within the waterways and having no enterprise, having no charters, which has a direct impression on the native economic system."Her marketing campaign acquired donations from pursuits that echoed her points, amongst them hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones, founding father of The Everglades Basis; Everytown for Gun Security which is financed by Mike Bloomberg; and people related to the marijuana business. She additionally acquired numerous small donations from people who the marketing campaign courted by way of its social media outreach.Then there was the fourth "w." In 2018, ladies candidates did effectively in elections across the nation with a file 36 new ladies successful seats within the Home of Representatives. Pundits dubbed it one other "12 months of the Lady."After a recount in an election that had 8 million votes, Fried received by lower than 7,000 votes. Within the course of, she turned the primary elected feminine agriculture commissioner. Can historical past repeat itself and land her within the governor's mansion?Lots will depend upon who else runs. Numerous names are being talked about. Along with Crist, they embrace Rep. Val Demings whose district features a good chunk of Orlando; state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who additionally represents Orlando; and state Sen. Jason Pizzo who represents the japanese a part of Miami-Dade County.After their shellacking in 2018, Florida Democrats want to rebuild the social gathering. Fried should entice the help of a various social gathering whereas additionally interesting to independents who could also be delay by DeSantis' model. "It's a celebration of the younger and folks of coloration," says MacManus. Fried has labored arduous to develop a nationwide identification, showing on cable TV and constructing a powerful following on social media. A fragmented social gathering may very well work to her benefit if she desires to place herself as extra sensible than partisan."She has the benefit of a statewide workplace," says Steve Schale, a veteran observer of Florida politics who ran Barack Obama's 2008 marketing campaign within the state and served as a senior adviser to him in 2012. "If Nikki runs, she begins out as the favourite."And whereas describing DeSantis as a "bully" and somebody "the folks of Florida don't belief" Fried vows a run for governor can be about extra than simply him."It's in regards to the reality now we have had Republican rule in our state for 25 years and it's not working for everyone, " she says. "It's an even bigger image, it's not nearly Ron."Subsequent yr, the folks of Florida could effectively get to seek out out.
Driving Weed, Weapons and Water to the Florida Governor’s Mansion
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