Seizing on the scandals and legislative meltdowns that have come to define Tallahassee, Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham on Thursday announced she's "seriously considering" running for governor in 2018.
The first-term congresswoman, who represents a North Florida district recently reconfigured to heavily favor Republicans, has also decided against running for re-election in 2016. The announcements were made in a video sent to Graham's supporters.
"Our state government is just dysfunctional, and this causes me to re-think how I can best serve the people of North Florida and our state," Graham said. "Floridians are hungry for new leadership, and I'm so excited to tell you first that I'm seriously considering running for governor in 2018."
Graham is the daughter of a former Florida governor - Bob Graham - and has been widely viewed as a rising star for Florida Democrats, who for years have suffered from a weak statewide bench.
Should Graham decide to launch a gubernatorial bid, she could face formidable competition from Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, the Republican favorite for governor, who so far has raised more than $4 million for his likely campaign. However, a string of embarrassing missteps by Republican Gov. Rick Scott, combined with the repeated inability of the Legislature's Republican leaders to cooperate, could serve to galvanize a change-oriented election environment.
Plus, Graham advisor Steve Schale argues, the congresswoman's moderate voting record in Washington could prove a significant asset in a statewide race.
"(She) was ranked as one of the most bipartisan members of the Congress," Schale said. "And so, when she looks at Tallahassee now, she sees a lot of the same gridlock. I think she believes if she were to run, she could bring the same approach."