Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, a Democrat and proponent of mask mandates, was spotted at an indoor event without wearing a mask on Thursday in Alachua County, Fla. Commissioner Fried was speaking at the new UF/IFAS extension in Newberry, Fla. to discuss the county’s agriculture.
The Miami native is a registered Democrat and has filed to run against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the state’s 2022 gubernatorial election.
Competing against Gov. DeSantis for the state’s highest political office is a tall order for anyone, but especially for a Democrat. Gov. DeSantis has grown to national popularity for his strong stance against Covid mandates involving vaccines and masks. Earlier in November, Alachua County School Board voted to comply with DeSantis’ statewide ban on school mask mandates, securing a win for DeSantis and parental choice. Fried, however, opposes the decision.
In a recent interview, Fried was asked about her opinion on masking children in school, “I don’t want my friends to get sick, and so we put a mask on,” she said, referencing the conversation she has with her stepchildren about wearing a mask. In her opinion, school boards should be the deciding factor on the controversial topic. When comparing Fried’s policy position with that of DeSantis, who recently said “It’s the United States of America, not the United School Boards,” it is easy to see the stark differences between the two.
Given the fact that Fried admittedly has discussions with her family about wearing a mask to protect others, then why is she not remaining consistent in public?
Holding a mask in her left hand, and noticeably closer than the recommended six foot social distancing measure, Fried joins the company of other hypocritical Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, by breaking their own Covid guidelines. This is a classic case of ‘rules for thee, but not for me.’
Judging by the trend of most Floridians not wearing masks, they probably don’t care that Fried isn’t either, but the hypocrisy is blinding, especially when the commissioner has ridiculed Gov. DeSantis for his decision to not issue a mask mandate throughout the Sunshine State.
Fried believes she can defeat Gov. DeSantis in the race for the governor’s mansion, but she must first win the primary against former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Florida state Sen. Annette Taddeo. With DeSantis, the people know they’re electing an anti-mandate candidate, which is a position that bodes well with the state that has more registered Republicans. Fried, however, advises one way, but acts another.
