Meet the Democratic contenders who could challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 election

The White House is now blue, and Florida Democrats hope the governor’s mansion will be next in 2022.

They’ll have to get past Gov. Ron DeSantis, though. The 42-year-old Republican has emerged as one of the leading voices nationally carrying on former President Donald Trump’s legacy.

While Trump lost nationally, his message resonated in Florida. Trump expanded his margin of victory in the Sunshine State this past year, thanks in part to a surge of support from Cuban-American and Venezuelan-American voters in Miami-Dade County.

Several Democrats are already considering a run in next year’s election. No one has officially announced their candidacy, but here are some possible contenders.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried

Fried, 43, went from a marijuana lobbyist to Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat. The South Florida native prevailed in the race for agriculture commissioner in 2018 on a platform of weed, weapons and water.

She promised to promote medical marijuana and cannabis cultivation, shore up problems with concealed-weapons licensing and clean up Florida’s polluted rivers and springs. Her agency, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, handles a vast list of tasks from inspecting gas pumps to administering free school lunches.

As the leading Democrat in Tallahassee, she has been one of the most outspoken critics of DeSantis, taking her message to national cable television news and building her name recognition through gas pump stickers that featured her smiling face.

If she runs, she could face questions about how she would handle Florida’s marijuana industry. Her fiancé, Jake Bergmann, stepped down as CEO of the medical marijuana company Surterra Wellness, now known as Parallel, when Fried won in 2018.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist

Crist, 64, knows his way around the Governor’s Mansion. He served as a Republican governor from 2007-11.

He didn’t run for reelection in 2010, instead running unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate. He ran for governor as a Democrat in 2014, losing to then-Gov. Rick Scott by 1 percentage point of the vote. Crist is now in his third term as a member of Congress from a St. Petersburg-based district.

Crist has secured the support of Broward Mayor Steve Geller, an influential voice in the party. Crist could appeal to moderate voters, but he’ll have to overcome animosity toward “career” politicians and the Washington establishment.

Crist is also seen as a possible challenger to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Crist lost to Rubio in 2010 when he ran as an independent. Democrat Kendrick Meek was also in the race.

U.S. Rep. Val Demings

Demings, 63, gained national prominence as an impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment. She was on President Joe Biden’s shortlist of possible vice presidential candidates.

Demings rose through the ranks of the Orlando Police Department to become its first female chief, leading the agency from 2007-11.

After an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2012 and withdrawing from the race for Orange County mayor in 2014, she was elected to Congress in 2016 and was reelected without opposition in 2018.

Demings’ record as police chief could become an issue in a Democratic primary as activists call for reforms. She oversaw a drop in crime, but her record also includes excessive force allegations directed at the department’s officers.

Demings has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate.

Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham

Graham, 58, came close to being the Democratic nominee to face Ron DeSantis in 2018, finishing in second place behind Andrew Gillum in a crowded field.

As of late, she’s been active on social media, hurling criticism at DeSantis and Trump.

Originally from Miami Lakes, Graham is the daughter of former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. She served one term in Congress, defeating an incumbent Republican congressman in a conservative north Florida district in 2014.

She’s used that victory to make the case that she could win over moderate and Republican voters, but she’s also faced questions from progressives about her commitment to liberal values.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani

Eskamani, 30, represents liberal energy in the Democratic Party. She’s built a loyal following on social media and hasn’t held back from criticizing establishment leaders.

The Orlando-area representative cut her teeth in politics working for Planned Parenthood and advocating for abortion rights. In 2018, she flipped District 47 blue, surviving a barrage of attack ads painting her as a “vulgar” activist who uses phrases like “[expletive] the patriarchy.”

She won reelection in 2020, earning another term representing part of downtown Orlando and suburban neighborhoods in Central Florida.

Eskamani’s liberal views could be a liability in Florida, which has been trending more Republican.

She also has shunned corporate donations, which could hamper her ability to raise the money needed to mount a viable campaign.

State Sen. Jason Pizzo

A former assistant state attorney, Pizzo’s name has been circulating as a potential Democratic contender for governor.

Pizzo, 44, defeated ex-state Sen. Daphne Campbell in 2018 to win his seat representing part of Miami-Dade County in the Florida Senate.

Politically, he’s in a tough spot as chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, which will hear a bill cracking down on unruly protests that is loathed by most Democrats. Pizzo could stop the legislation from advancing, but he’s indicated he will hear the measure.

Other contenders

The Democratic Party has a variety of other rising stars considered to be potential candidates for higher office. Voters will pick an agriculture commissioner, attorney general and chief financial officer next year. Rubio’s Senate seat will also be on the ballot.

That list includes Central Florida U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy; state Sen. Annette Taddeo of Miami; state Sen. Lauren Book of Plantation; Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay; and Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg.

Skyler Swisher can be reached at sswisher@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher.

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