Report: Florida’s Nikki Fried Mulling Democrat Primary Run Against Val Demings and Charlie Crist

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is potentially considering a primary challenge to Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) for governor or Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) for governor or Senate.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday Fried is mulling the campaign challenges based on what appears to be a campaign teaser video tweeted Wednesday.

The video uses language like “a new face of the party,” “an early frontrunner,” “Best Hope,” and “Only Winner.”

“Join us… [for] #somethingnew… 6.01.21,” the video concludes.

“We are no longer a free state,” Fried said last week about Florida where Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) holds a 55 percent approval rating that has increased two points since February.

But before Fried could challenge DeSantis, she would need to defeat Crist in the Democrat primary. Crist announced his campaign in May.

DeSantis’s popularity and Crist, a former Florida governor, may spur Fried to run for the United States Senate against Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), which Demings has been rumored to be considering.

“At this point, it’s more likely than not that [Val Demings] does run,” a source who had recently spoken with Demings reported. “And if she does, it’s almost definitely running for governor.”

“I’ve received so many calls and texts and emails, and have been stopped when I’m out and about by people who are asking me that very same question, Demings said on April 23.

Whatever Demings decides, it will potentially impact Fried’s political future where state redistricting may prompt her to run for higher office due to state Republicans controlling the redistricting efforts.