Andrew Gillum, Tallahassee mayor and Democratic candidate for Florida governor, responded Tuesday to President Trump calling him a “stone cold thief,” on Fox News Monday evening by saying he's been told to never wrestle with a "pig."
Trump explained the label of "thief" to Fox’s Laura Ingraham, referencing the fact that Gillum accepted Hamilton tickets from an undercover FBI agent who was conducting an ethics probe.
“Well, the FBI offered him tickets at $1800 apiece and he took them -- he took a trip with the same FBI agent,” Trump said, “I guess he was posing as a developer or something -- the man stone cold took this stuff. I don't even think he should be allowed to continue on with the race.”
Gillum responded to the scrutiny recently over the Hamilton tickets by claiming that he received the tickets from his brother. He accused the GOP of attempting to reinforce “stereotypes about black men" by bringing up the issue.
Gillum tweeted in response to Trump Tuesday that he wouldn’t engage with him on the matter but he did label him a “pig.”
“As my grandmother told me — never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, but the pig likes it. So ignore him and vote, Florida,” he said.
I heard @realDonaldTrump ran home to @FoxNews to lie about me. But as my grandmother told me — never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, but the pig likes it. So ignore him and vote, Florida!
— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) October 30, 2018
President Trump also referenced Gillum's socialist policy positions during the interview Monday, arguing that under Gillum, "Florida will become Venezuela; it will be a disaster."