For someone who isn't running in the 2018 governor's race, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine sure gets around the state.
The Democrat, long speculated to be a likely contender for governor, was polished and engaging as he spoke before members of the Tampa chapter of the Tiger Bay Club Friday afternoon, offering self-deprecating anecdotes about himself, a "Jewish entrepreneur” who "broke into every high-rise" so he could talk to voters so he could knock on voters' doors during his first run.
Several times over the course of the event, Levine, a former cruise industry executive, referred to his moderate sensibilities and even called himself as a "radical centrist," given his ability to work with Republicans and Democrats in city government, a nonpartisan setting.
But when asked how he could possibly make it out of a Democratic primary given how thirsty primary voters can be for more extreme candidates (especially post-2016), he said he wasn't even sure he'd run as a Democrat.
"Number one, you are assuming I am going to run in a primary if I run for governor. I'm not sure I'm going to do that," he said, responding to USF journalism professor (and former CL news and politics editor/Political Whore columnist) Wayne Garcia, who asked Levine how he could survive a Democratic primary. "I haven't made a decision, but I'm keeping all my options open."
Levine said Republicans "really like" him, as do Democrats. Yet the former may not be as inclined to support Levine after they find out he supports expanding Medicaid (assuming the Affordable Care Act survives Trump) and high-speed rail — and that one of his top priorities would be a minimum wage hike.
"I passed the first [minimum living wage] in the State of Florida," he said.
Plus, as the mayor of a coastal city where flooding has become increasingly regular, he might butt heads with GOP leaders who would rather please monied interests than heed the scientific community's warnings about climate change.
He also supports restoration of voting rights for felons who have served their debt to society — which could jeopardize Republicans' dominance in state (and, as a result, national) politics.
“I believe in [restoring felon voting rights] 100 percent. Our country is a country based on second chances. Our country is a country based on opportunity,” he said. “I would make that a priority.”
So what does he agree with Republicans on?
The desire to attract innovation and entrepreneurship to Florida.
He and Governor Rick Scott might not, for example, see eye-to-eye on climate change, but they agree that the state legislature's efforts to gut Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida (respectively the state's tourism and economic development arms) could hurt Florida's economy, Levine said.
If Levine ran, he would be on a candidate roster that so far includes Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, former Congresswoman Gwen Graham and newcomer Chris King (as Dems) as well as Ag Commissioner Adam Putnam, a Republican. Question marks remain over whether attorney John Morgan (a Democrat), State Sen. Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater) and State House Speaker Richard Corcoran (R-Land O Lakes) will run.
If he skips the process of seeking the Democratic Party's nomination, it's unclear whether Levine would run as an independent, a non-party candidate, a third-party candidate or even as a Republican (probably not that last one, though).
Levine isn't the first prospective or announced gubernatorial candidate to be making the rounds across the state.
Putnam has been touring the state in a bus. Latvala spoke in Pensacola Friday. King, who hails from Orlando, was in Tampa Monday. Morgan, meanwhile, spoke to Tampa Tiger Bay Club members last month.
