CHICAGO – The state of Florida is showing how important it is already at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, according to our partners at WJXT.
Numerous national political heavyweights addressed Florida delegates Monday morning during the first of four Florida delegation breakfasts hosted by state Party Chair Nikki Fried.
Recommended Videos
The highlighted speakers were Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who were all discussed as possible running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris at one point.
The Trump campaign has tried to make an issue of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz being chosen over Shapiro.
“I don’t think we need to take electoral advice from Donald Trump, a guy who has continually lost, a guy whose enablers have lost,” Shapiro told News4JAX. “I don’t think that he has a word of authority on much of anything.
Pritzker runs a state that typically skews heavily blue. Florida has gone from purple to deep red over the last few years, but Pritzker said the days of the Sunshine State being solidly red are gone.
“I want to thank Nikki Fried for her party leadership and all of you for helping put Florida in the race as a battleground state,” Pritzker said.
Whitmer took the occasion to take a swipe at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Your governor was in my state last year,” Whitmer said. “He was up bragging about all the things he was able to do in Florida. And he told people in the press he’s anti-Michigan. But the people of Florida deserve better. Am I right?”
The DNC kicked off just four weeks after President Joe Biden shuttered his campaign and made way for Vice President Kamala Harris to ascend to the top of the Democrats’ ticket.
The political transformation just months ahead of the general election matchup with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has meant a rapid succession of changes for Democrats’ 2024 calculus in general — making the convention all the more noteworthy.