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Florida Ag. Commissioner Nikki Fried enters the 2022 race for governor

Fried to DeSantis: Mobilize National Guard to fix 'chaotic' vaccine distribution

Steve Cannon/AP

Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried speaks during a meeting of the Florida cabinet Tuesday June 4, 2019, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)

By: WTXL Digital Staff

Posted at 1:35 PM, Jun 01, 2021

and last updated 2021-06-01 14:16:32-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is running for governor.

After months of mulling and weeks of hype— Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried says she’s running for governor in 2022. Fried is the last Democrat to win statewide office, nabbing the spot in 2018. The party last won the executive branch in 1994. https://t.co/mXFJM3rmHH
— Forrest Saunders (@FBSaunders) June 1, 2021

The Election Office received the paperwork on June 1, 2021.

#SomethingNew 6.01.21 pic.twitter.com/bqsNRHmhjE
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) May 12, 2021

Fried is the second Democrat to announce a campaign for governor after U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist launched his campaign last month.

Fried narrowly won the agriculture commissioner job in 2018 and is the only statewide elected Democrat.

Fried has been a critic of Governor Ron DeSantis. Earlier on Tuesday, she blasted the governorfor signing a bill that bans trans-female athletes in public high school or college from playing in women’s sports.

Fried called the bill "heartless" and said DeSantis was "especially cruel" for signing the bill on the first day of Pride Month.