This past weekend Florida Democrats convened at the Hollywood Diplomat for their big-ticket fundraiser.
Leadership Blue is what it’s called, but based on the reaction from those in attendance, it should have been called “Leadership Gillum.”
The keynote speaker was Jay Inslee, but it should have been Andrew Gillum, given the reaction he evoked from the crowd.
Jay Inslee? Who?
Inslee, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association and current governor of the state of Washington, barely made a blip on the radar.
The other gubernatorial candidates? Gwen Graham, Philip Levine, Chris King, and Jeff Greene.
Sharing a stage with Andrew Gillum has to be hard. In fact, Gwen Graham got the short end of the stick. She had to follow Gillum.
Graham speaking alone is boring enough. Following a dynamic Andrew Gillum made Graham worse than her usual paint-dry self.
Whoever chose that lineup doesn’t like her.
I see why Graham and Levine backed out of the Orlando debate. They can’t compete with Gillum on stage.
Journalists reporting on the event noted that Gillum received the most applause as he walked to the stage (to Migos’ "Walk It Like I Talk It") -- during his speech, and after.
It is clear that Andrew Gillum has the message it takes to fire up voters.
With the boost from billionaire Tom Steyer, initially $1 million, and boots on the ground, Gillum is going to have the resources he needs to get that message to the people who need to hear it.
President Obama had Stevie Wonder’s "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."
Now, Florida Democrats can’t get enough of Gillum and Migos’ "Walk It Like I Talk It."
In the end, isn’t that what we want our politicians to do, walk it like they talk it?
Leslie Wimes, a Sunshine State News columnist, is founder and president of Women on the Move and the Democratic African American Women Caucus, www.daawc.com. Follow Leslie on Twitter: @womenonthemove1
