Andrew Gillum Concedes to Republican Ron DeSantis in Florida Governor Race Having trailed most of the night, Andrew Gillum, Tallahassee mayor, via 'The New York Times' The Governor's race was one of the most closely watched of the 2018 midterms. DeSantis is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump. Racism stained the campaign in the form of offensive robocalls and a remark made by DeSantis himself. DeSantis' statement that Gillum could "monkey this up" was seen by many as a racist dog whistle. Florida has elected a Republican Governor every election since 1998. Ron DeSantis, Florida Govenor-elect, via 'The New York Times'