With two weeks to go until Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, the service employee union UNITE HERE Florida has launched a negative campaign ad against former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham. UNITE HERE, which endorsed Graham’s chief opponent, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, says the ad buy is into six figures.
The ad claims Graham’s family was behind a mega mall project that will mostly create low wage jobs and harm the Everglades. It is similar to an ad that another of Graham’s primary rivals, real estate developer Jeff Greene, has targeted her with in recent weeks.
Graham, Levine, and Greene are all near the top of the Democratic primary field, which also features Bernie Sanders-endorsed Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and businessman Chris King. Graham led in most polls in July and early August, but two mid-August surveys showed her in a close race with Levine.
Graham is backed by dozens of Florida’s elected officials as well as the Florida Education Association and NARAL Pro-Choice America. Levine and Greene are both self-funding their campaigns. As of early August, Levine had self-funded about $16.4 million and Greene had self-funded about $22.5 million.
That’s a lot of self-funding.
