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Andrew Gillum: ‘I voted for me’

“Let’s go vote,” Gillum told his family, as he held his 1-year-old son Davis in his left arm. “Let’s bring it home.”
 
Published Aug. 28, 2018

Just after 11 a.m. on primary day, Tallahassee mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum arrived at Good Shepherd Catholic Church to vote for himself for governor. Accompanied by his wife R. Jai and their three children, Gillum greeted a small group of supporters before he walked into the polling location.

"Let's go vote," he told them, as he held his 1-year-old son Davis in his left arm. "Let's bring it home."

Afterward, he told reporters that voting for himself — in his historic bid to become the state's first African-American governor — was moving.

"I didn't realize what the sensation would be like to see my name on the ballot there," he said. "When I think about that little boy growing up in Richmond Heights, watching my mother and father struggle at different times between paying the bills, to now be in this race and to have my family right alongside me, it's an overwhelming feeling."

Gillum also spoke confidently of a late surge in polling he hoped would lift his campaign to victory Tuesday night.

"I think we're going to surprise a lot of people this evening," Gillum said. "Four, five weeks ago, all y'all's polls had us fifth. Then we were fourth, then we were third, now we're second. Today, I think we're going to close in first."

But when asked by reporters, Gillum also did not rule out the possibility of considering being a lieutenant governor should someone else win the party's nomination.

"We're optimistic we will be the nominee," he said. "If it isn't me, I'll do everything I can to see a Democratic elected governor."

Later, Gillum posted this to social media: