[Cuomo:] Major breaking news, a major upset in the race for governor in Florida. CNN projects progressive Andrew Gillum will be the Democratic nominee. We're going to be bringing in our Harry Enten to talk to us about this. He's been following the race. 20 But I have to tell you, people didn't see this coming. It is proof of a couple of things, a division in what the Democratic Party is about, especially in big states like Florida, and two, the power of people, Brother Enten. Tallahassee mayor went after the state about guns, an unpopular thing. He worked with the parkland kids. He was down there, really religiously for their cause against "stand your ground", a progressive on different ways. Bernie Sanders came in and campaigned late. How did this happen?
[Harry Enten, Cnn Politics Enior Writer And Analyst:] I think you hit it exactly right. I mean, you saw maybe a late surge at the end for Gillum. But at the end of the day, this was a big, big surprise. And it happened for two reasons. Number one, progressives really came out and voted, young progressives specifically, and huge turnout in African-American communities throughout the state of Florida. If you look at the major cities, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Orlando, down to Broward County, this is where Gillum picked up major votes and came well, a big surprise because if you look at the early vote, Graham actually was winning in the early vote, but when the election day vote came in, you saw the big surge for Gillum.
[Cuomo:] So, is it true he won Miami and some of those other southern population centers? Did that offset the ratios? Because I think the state, you know, county over county is just about 30 percent African- American, right? I think it's like 27 percent. So, he was playing to population centers not just the black vote.
[Enten:] Yes, he was definitely playing to population centers. I mean, Miami-Dade is another great example where if you look at the early vote, Philip Levine, who was the former mayor of Miami Beach down there won in that early vote. But when Election Day vote came in, Gillum overtook him and was able to overtake Graham in the state as well.
[Cuomo:] Yes, you know, Harry, what's your take on this? You know, Mel was just in my ear, my EP, saying, you know, don't forget, this is that Bernie Sanders momentum of being to the left of what is otherwise seen as a centrist party. I'm slow on that with Gillum because so much of his politics are personal to him you know, the guns, the stand your ground, the need for populism. Yes, he is Medicare for all. I don't know what the meat on the bones is of that yet, though. He does advance different progressive types of issues. But what do you think it was? Was it his posture or do you think it was the populism?
[Enten:] I think it is probably a little bit of everything, right? I mean, populism didn't play well a African-American voters back in the 2016 primary and obviously, Gillum did particularly well there. And the other thing I will point out is Gillum was a Hillary Clinton surrogate. So, this is not just a story of Clinton and Sanders, and the Sanders wing kind of coming up. It's a story of a candidate who has a very good personal story and was able to connect with different parts of the party. And what will be interesting is whether or not those different parts of the party come out in the fall to help him against Ron DeSantis.
[Cuomo:] Boy, it really came out of nowhere. And how does he look against DeSantis?
[Enten:] The early polling shows a tight race. But I'll tell you, the difference between the two candidates here is probably going to be the greatest in the nation. Republicans wanted Gillum and Democrats wanted DeSantis as the Republican nominee. So, both sides got what they wanted and there's going to be a real contrast come the fall. It's going to be one of the top races I'll certainly be watching.
[Cuomo:] You couldn't have picked somebody who is less like Trump on the Democratic side than Andrew Gillum. I wonder if that reads in, as well. Hey, Harry, thanks for scrambling into that chair.
[Enten:] Thank you so much.
[Cuomo:] I appreciate it.
[Enten:] No problem, anything for you.
[Cuomo:] We need you and you were there. Thank you. All right. And thank you for watching. "CNN TONIGHT" with Don Lemon starts right now. History made. First African-American nominee for governor in a major state like Florida.