It's official! Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has finally signed the controversial Transgender female sports ban into law today and has once again taken the media reigns for the day. Oh, wait, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried filed paperwork to put herself on the ballot for governor in 2022.
Commissioner Fried's non-announcement fell on deaf ears and was overshadowed by DeSantis's signing of the transgender bill in Jacksonville.
Fried filed the paperwork but has not announced her actions on Twitter or any other social media out, which is kind of weird considering that everything she has done in the months leading up to her filing date has been pushed on social media platforms.
Fried recently told The Floridian that she would not be announcing in the same public way Rep. Charlie Crist announced his gubernatorial campaign, suggesting that her say in the sun would be done online.
And now there is a video announcement:
It’s time to break the rigged, corrupt system in Florida with #SomethingNew.
That’s why I’m running for Governor.
Join us at https://t.co/pSDjoC7HWW. pic.twitter.com/Vzb1MnBuSB— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) June 1, 2021
Because Fried telegraphed when she would announce her campaign, Florida and national Republicans were ready to pounce.
Within minutes after Fried's official candidacy was posted to the Florida Department of Election's website, the Republican Party of Florida teed off on Fried, accusing her of attempting to overturn DeSantis' Executive Order on schools and called her a "lockdown lobbyist."
"Nikki Fried tried to close Florida schools and attempted to overturn Governor DeSantis' Executive Order to get our kids back in the classroom. She is a lockdown lobbyist who can't be trusted to make the right decisions for Florida families," stated the Florida GOP.
.@NikkiFriedFL tried to close Florida schools and attempted to overturn Governor DeSantis' Executive Order to get our kids back in the classroom. She is a lockdown lobbyist who can't be trusted to make the right decisions for Florida families. pic.twitter.com/Ac538BqnNX
— Florida GOP (@FloridaGOP) June 1, 2021
The state Republican party is referring to a tweet Fried put out on July 7, 2020, in regard to DeSantis's edict to reopen schools.
"Parents I have spoken with are terrified. There have been no guidelines, no flexibility for parents or school districts, and no protections for teachers and students. We need to get #COVID19 under control before we force our children back into schools," stated Fried,
The Republican Governor's Association (RGA), which will play a significant role in trying to get DeSantis reelected to office, calling her movements leading up to her campaign filing as "desperate political posturing."
"Instead of using her office to work for the people of Florida, Nikki Fried has spent the last 2 and a half years working to better herself,” said RGA spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. “Floridians want someone who will fight for them tirelessly, and Fried’s desperate political posturing and reliance on lies and pandering to make a point prove she’s the exact opposite of what Florida needs.”
