Andrew Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor who recently won Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial nomination received some last minute major funding from two familiar names.
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Gillum thanked left-wing billionaire donors George Soros and Tom Steyer for their last-minute cash infusion to his campaign PAC, Forward Florida, saying he is “deeply appreciative” of the money received.
The donations, according to Politico which first reported them, came in the form of $250,000 from Soros, $300,000 from Steyer and another $100,000 from anonymous donors “affiliated with” the two billionaires.
Steyer and Soros and their associated groups have already poured millions into Gillum’s campaign since it launched in March of 2017. Most recently, Steyer’s NextGen America gave $500,000 to Forward Florida between July 30 and August 14. Soros also gave Gillum’s committee $250,000 last month, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Gillum likes to thank “everyday folks” for donating to his campaign, but let’s be clear, it was the millions that Soros and Steyer donated that provided the necessary cash flow needed to boost his PAC.
“I’ll tell you, I’m obviously deeply appreciative of Mr. Soros, as well as Mr. Steyer, both men whom I’ve known for some time,” Gillum said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
Received money from George Soros, who Not only wants to Bring America DOWN, AS A Life Achievement.
He also teams with United Nations, in their bylaws is the statement "To End Western civilization."You're a Globalist and an ENEMY of America.
— LA NATIONALIST 🇺🇲🗣 (@Podium_Hawk) July 1, 2018
Fox News reports:
The 39-year-old Gillum received an outpouring of support from liberal megadonors and groups associated with their vast network of affiliates, helping him emerge from a crowded Democratic field last Tuesday.
In April, his campaign raised $450,000, with more than half of that coming from Soros in the form of a contribution to Forward Florida, a political action committee focused on getting Gillum elected, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Both Soros and Steyer, who’s been leading an effort to impeach President Trump, also directed $650,000 in the final two weeks of primary campaigning toward the same political group, according to Politico.
Before the last-minute cash infusion, Steyer reportedly had already donated $500,000 to groups supporting Gillum, while Soros’ total contributions to the pro-Gillum group stood at $1 million.
Despite the donations and criticism that the billionaires may have undue influence in politics, Gillum brushed off suggestions that his candidacy was bankrolled by billionaires, saying the campaign was led by donations from “everyday folks.”
“[O]ur campaign was really propped up by a lot of small contributions, including my mother, who was on auto-deduct of $20 a month into our campaign,” Gillum said on the show. “In the first two days of this general election, our campaign has been buoyed this first week, raising over $2 million by everyday folks, not big contributions, but everyday folks sowing a seed into our race.”
Gillum will face Republican U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis in November.
