Andrew Gillum, the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, shared his support to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to implement a single-payer health care system.
"They are already coming for you based on your message. Ron DeSantis, the Republican nominee, had a statement about you, Andrew Gillum, that says that you want to abolish ICE. You do, correct?" CNN anchor John Berman asked.
"We want to replace ICE with the Department of Justice. An entity that has not been tarnished in the same way as ICE has," Gillum responded.
"He says you want to abolish ICE, you say you want to replace it, that's basically the same thing," Berman said.
Gillum's targeting of ICE comes amid a growing movement among liberals and progressives to abolish the law enforcement agency. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and Kristen Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) called for ICE to be abolished. Cynthia Nixon, who is challenging New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, called ICE a "terrorist organization" and said it should be abolished. Other progressive candidates and activists have adopted the call as part of their platform amid the Trump administration's controversial zero tolerance policy on illegal immigration. Rep. Mark Pocan (D., Wis.) introduced legislation to abolish the agency.
Berman also asked the candidate about his progressive stance on health care.
"He says you want single payer health care system in Florida; you do want Medicare for all, correct?" Berman asked.
"I am a champion for treating health care as a right, not a privilege. That's absolutely right," Gillum said. "And expanding Medicaid in the state Florida for 700,000 people, who right now don't have access to health care."
Gillum pulled off an upset victory in Tuesday's primary. He ran on a progressive agenda that included Medicare for all and a $15 minimum wage. The Florida Democrat was supported by democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and wealthy liberal donor Tom Steyer. If elected, Gillum would be the first black governor in Florida's history.
President Donald Trump slammed Gillum on Wednesday morning as a "failed socialist."