Democrat candidate for Florida Governor compares DeSantis to Hitler

Nikki Fried, the Democratic Commissioner of Agriculture in Florida and standing challenging Republican Governor Ron DeSantis for his position in the next election, compared DeSantis to Hitler "in many ways" when interviewed on public radio on Friday.

Jorge Bonilla of MRC Latino tweeted, "Hoo Boy... It's one thing to *read* that Nikki Fried compared Ron DeSantis to Hitler; completely another to blow by several offramps en route to that comparison. Will media cover?"

When asked by host Melissa Ross about whether she really thought that Gov. DeSantis should be compared to Hitler, she replied, "In many ways, yes."

Fried continued: "I have studied Hitler and how he got to power, you know, wanting his own militia." Ross immediately pointed out that 22 other states have their own state guard. Fried replied that, in her opinion, the case of Florida is different:

"The reason why this governor wants it is different than the other states that have been utilizing it for emergency purposes," opined Fried.

"This governor is doing it for the sole purposes of power and doing so to make fear and . . . blaming certain parts of our society and culture, and that’s exactly what Hitler did to the Jews back during World War II."

Ross mentioned that many people might think she has "lost the plot" by making a Hitler comparison. Fried replied:

"Not at all, I mean look, do I think that we are going to get to the extent of Hitler’s power? Of course not."

"But, the rise of his power and what he did to scapegoat certain parts and certainly the Jewish community in Germany and how he utilized going after the media, going after and scapegoating people and blaming people and putting fear and taking over the military. That’s what this governor is doing."