Andrew Gillum, who narrowly lost to Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial race, was arrested on drug charges last week in Daphne, Alabama.
Baldwin County Jail records show the 46-year-old was charged with possession of dangerous drugs, drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana. He was released the next day, but police have not released further details about what led to his arrest.
Prior to running for Florida Governor and winning his primary, Gillum served as the mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 to 2018.
Ex-Florida Democratic Governor Nominee Andrew Gillum Arrested For Drug Possession https://t.co/XrZneyynHf
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 7, 2026
Ex-Florida gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum arrested on drug offenses: jail records https://t.co/PQwo9Q0aji pic.twitter.com/JefL4pNqQT
— New York Post (@nypost) July 7, 2026
The arrest follows a wave of controversy surrounding Gillum since his 2018 loss. In 2020, Gillum was found with two male gay escorts in a Miami Beach hotel room surrounded by beer bottles, drugs, and methamphetamines. One of the men allegedly overdosed on what is believed to be crystal methamphetamine. Gillum was not charged in the incident, but the scandal ruined his political career and forced him to enter rehab.
Just two years after the hotel incident, Gillum was indicted alongside his advisor, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, on 21 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, and false statements. During the trial, he was acquitted of lying to the FBI, but the jury was locked on the remaining counts.
If Gillum is convicted of the marijuana offense, a misdemeanor in Alabama, he could owe $6,000 in fines and spend a year in jail.