It’s likely that Gwen Graham would have won the election. That’s my opinion, but it’s also shared by Florida political commentators. Writing last year for Florida Politics, Joe Henderson speculated that Graham would have won. “She likely would have run a better campaign than Gillum,” he wrote. “And while Donald Trump endorsed DeSantis, it’s worth remembering that independent voters decide these races, and Trump had big issues there. The odds are good that Graham would have beaten DeSantis. Had that happened, Florida would likely have remained a purple state instead of the crimson-hued place it is today.”

If Steyer and Soros had not stepped in to rescue Gillum’s failing primary campaign, then, Graham would likely have been the Democratic candidate for governor. Steyer and Soros, who can afford armies of consultants and advisors, must have known about Gillum’s vulnerabilities as a candidate—and if they didn’t, they should have. These weaknesses were reported not only in Florida newspapers and television, but in the New York Times and Politico. But the two billionaires decided to tip the scales in favor of Gillum.