By Dessalines Ferdinand
A significant number of Haitian-American candidates will be on the ballot in the Nov. 8 General election. Victory on Election Day could deliver at least one of them as a first — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Dr. Blemur has already made the list of ‘firsts’ when she came out on top of the three candidates racing for the Democratic primary nomination for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services this past August. She became the first Haitian-American to be a nominee for the Florida Cabinet. Now she is competing with the nominee of the Republican Party in the upcoming mid-term General election.
Despite a wave of un-endorsements after screenshots of her past anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ social media comments emerged, Naomi Blemur managed to defeat her two opponents, Ryan Morales and J.R. Gaillot by a wide margin in the August 23rd primary election, earning 50.35% (699,275 votes) of the total of 1,388,747 votes.
Blemur publicly criticized the head of the Democratic Party for the way they have been treating her as a minority candidate. In a post on her official campaign website, naomiblemur.com, she wrote: “The treatment I’ve received from Democratic leaders and independent organizations should not be tolerated. Despite winning the support of over 50% of registered Democratic voters in the state of Florida, there are those within the party who still refuse to acknowledge me as the rightful nominee or to provide my campaign with the support generously given to other party candidates.”
For many observers, Blemur’s victory in the Democratic primary race, after losing support she initially received from several South Florida Democrats, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, State Senator Annette Taddeo and State Senator Shevrin, has shown she is a person of faith and character. This also demonstrates that endorsements received from the head of the Democratic Party don’t contribute much to the success of a candidate. Blemur’s victory seems to reveal a major misconception about what people think the Democratic Party stands for, including the party of minorities.
It is also unfortunate that, up to the opening of early voting period, Dr. Naomi Blemur has not received any public political endorsements from local Haitian-American officials. Her campaign has also suffered from a lack of financial support from the South Florida Haitian-community business sector.
By October 15, 2022, Naomi Blemur raised $104,423.64 for her campaign. She poured $12,500 of her own money in the campaign. By spending $52,000 during the primary Democratic race, it is understandable that if money decides the general election for this race, the Haitian-American candidate is way behind her Republican opponent, Wilton Simpson. The outgoing Florida Senate President has more than $15 million on hand between his campaign and the four political committees he controls, Jobs for Florida, Friends of Wilton Simpson, Florida Green PAC and Florida Future. Simpson is one of the wealthiest members of the legislature, with a net worth of $22.5 million at the end of 2021.
Despite all that, as a believer, a woman of faith and character, Dr. Naomi Blemur is still on track to make political history the night of November 8, 2022 by becoming the first Haitian-American and first black female Florida of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner. The agriculture commissioner is fourth (behind the lieutenant governor, attorney general, and chief financial officer, respectively) in the line of succession to the Office of Governor.
In addition to serving as one of three statewide elected cabinet members, the agriculture commissioner runs the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, a sprawling agency that oversees issues involving farmers and ranchers, manages public lands, inspects amusement-park rides, ensures food-safety and school-lunch programs and oversees concealed-weapons licenses.
Speaking with Le Floridien, Blemur, who was born at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, in 1979, said that she sees her campaign as a “grassroots” effort. When Le Floridien’s reporter pointed out how financially heavy her Republican opponent is, which might make it tougher for her as lightly funded she is, Dr. Blemur noted that nearly 700,000 Democrats, more than half of those participating in the primary, voted for her, even though many well-known leaders in the Democratic Party rescinded their endorsements of her.
“I believe what the people of the state of Florida want to know is whether or not Naomi Blemur is a candidate that’s going to fight for everybody,” she said. “And the answer to that is yes. Floridians want a leader who will fight for all 22 million residents without prejudice and provide equal access and opportunity for residents and small business owners – I am that leader.”
Blemur added, “I will use my experience as a banker to expand access to capital for farmers and ensure black and brown people have a “fair shot” at entering the state’s hemp industry. Among everything is guaranteeing that children in public schools who get free breakfast or free lunch receive nutritious meals.”
While supporting the Democratic nominee for the governor’s race over sitting Republican DeSantis, Blemur said she would work with whoever wins the November election. “No matter who it is, I am going to put my best foot forward every single day, and I’m going to ensure that I work and partner with this individual,” Blemur said. “I do not believe that we have to be at each other’s throats, we can work across the aisle for the betterment of all Floridians.”
The good news for Dr. Blemur, which came out last week, showed in a ‘SachsMEDIA’ survey that the Haitian-American candidate -who was behind the Republican by 13 points previously- managed to reduce the gap to only 3 points margin down (42% vs 45%), about two weeks before the election. This is the result of hard work. Without money to pay staff, Blemur has been campaigning solo for weeks, visiting almost two to three of Florida’s 67 counties every couple of days.
For Dr. Naomi Ester Blemur, a first-generation Haitian-American minister, community leader, author, wife, and mother, she believes this November 8 race will not be decided by big corporate money or millionaire politicians. It will be decided by we the people!
She also believes with the votes of the 13 percent of unaffiliated, she will triumph the night of Tuesday, November 8, 2022 to make political history.
Dr. Blemur urged her minority brothers and sisters, especially Haitian-Americans, to get out and vote for her during the early voting period and the day (November 8) of the general election. As her campaign leitmotiv says in Creole: “ANN FÈ LISTWA ANSANM” (LET’S MAKE HISTORY TOGETHER!)”
Naomi Blemur earned a bachelor’s degree from CUNY University of NY – Queens College. Blemur’s career experience includes working as a businesswoman, minister, author, advocate, banker, and accountant. As of her 2022 campaign, Blemur served as a member of the Democratic Executive Committee for Miami-Dade District 15, as vice-chair on the North Miami Commission for Women, as a commissioner on the North Miami Planning Commission, and as a business committee member on the North Miami Community Redevelopment Advisory Committee.
For the Haitian community of South Florida and across this great nation, it’s our responsibility to support one another, especially when the bulk of our political beliefs and ideologies so closely align with one another. When we dig deep, rarely will we agree completely and wholeheartedly with every elected official and to snub support because of one person’s faith in God, unwavering and unapologetic as it has been, is shameful. Ms. Blemur stands by her convictions, doesn’t seek political favor by changing her stance like the wind, as so many ‘politicians’ do. That makes her candidacy even more monumental.
South Florida, it’s time to unite and stand behind those leaders willing to stand alone for the benefit of our people and our community.
Dessalines Ferdinand
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