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Nikki Fried, Florida\u2019s Democratic agriculture commissioner, is vying to take on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the fall. Viewed as an up-and-comer in state Democratic politics, Fried, 44, must first find a way to get past Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.), who formerly occupied the governor\u2019s mansion as a Republican, in the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
If elected, Fried would become Florida\u2019s first female governor and the first Democrat to hold the office in more than two decades.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Fried has tried to turn the primary into a battle over who is the most electable candidate against DeSantis. She has repeatedly called Crist a \u201cnice guy,\u201d but says Florida \u201cneeds a fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Fried\u2019s pitch: Democrats need to motivate voters with a fiery liberal message \u2014 protecting abortion rights, legalizing marijuana and capping skyrocketing rent prices \u2014 if the nominee is to stand a chance against DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential contender trying to position himself as the next leader of the nation\u2019s conservative movement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
To help build her case, Fried has been hammering Crist over his previous support for conservative policies. In one video clip, Crist states he is \u201cpro-life\u201d and supports \u201ctraditional marriage,\u201d an apparent reference to the debate over same-sex marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized it in 2015.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In other television ads, Fried blasts Crist for appointing conservatives to the state Supreme Court and pursuing policies as governor that included mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n