High turnout expected in Tuesday primary

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For months, Congresswoman Gwen Graham has called herself the Democratic front runner for governor. Tuesday, she hopes to prove it. 

The night before, she was looking for last-minute votes in Sarasota, greeting supporters and holding signs downtown.

"There is never a feeling of being any type of a shoo-in," she said. "There is a feeling of being committed to meet people, talk to people, talk about the importance of this election."

While she has been endorsed by establishment figures like Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, fellow Tallahassean Andrew Gillum was endorsed by progressive giant Bernie Sanders. 

A poll released Sunday showed Gillum narrowing the gap. 

"Our paid advertising has begun to pick up," Gillum said on Thursday. "People who didn't know I was a choice in the race are now focusing in."

The third candidate in that poll, former Miami Beach Mayor Phil Levine, is hoping his early ad blitz and a potential base of older Democratic voters in South Florida do the trick. 

He was in Jacksonville Monday talking gun safety, bluntly.

"I am truly pissed off," he said. "I am infuriated. I am insulted, that the State of Florida has the weakest gun laws in the entire nation."

Whoever wins will take on either Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam or Rep. Ron DeSantis. 

Their race, according to one poll, is neck and neck. 

Both were in Tampa Bay Monday.

"When you leave here, email all your friends, post these pictures on social media," said Putnam. "Get the word out."

DeSantis is hoping the image of he and the president together at a rally in Tampa makes the difference.

"I will leave you with this thought from our friend at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He said, 'Ron DeSantis is a proud veteran, a great leader, and a tough, brilliant cookie.'"

Nearly a quarter of Republicans in the poll said they were undecided.

On the Democratic side, more than half of voters say they've already voted.

Polls in Tuesday night's primary election open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Additional information on poll locations can be found in the following Supervisor of Election websites:

Citrus County
Hardee County
Hernando County
Highlands County
Hillsborough County
Manatee County
Pasco County
Pinellas County
Polk County
Sarasota County