Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum is back behind bars after failing a drug test just one month after his arrest in Alabama on drug charges, the latest legal setback for the one-time Democratic star who narrowly lost to Republican Ron DeSantis in the 2018 race for the governor’s mansion.
The 47-year-old former Tallahassee mayor was booked again Thursday into the Baldwin County jail in Alabama, according to jail records reported by Pensacola ABC affiliate WEAR-TV. A judge revoked Gillum’s bond after he reportedly skipped a drug test and later tested positive for methamphetamine.
Gillum’s return to custody resulted from a random screening program known as “color code drug testing,” according to TMZ. Under the court-ordered program, Gillum is assigned a color and required to call a hotline each day. If his color is announced, he must report for a drug test that day.
Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney John Oxford told TMZ that Gillum failed to appear for a court-ordered drug test after his assigned color was called. He was later tested during a court appearance on Thursday, and the test came back positive, according to TMZ.
The failed test adds to the stunning fall for a politician who, just eight years ago, appeared destined for a bright future in Sunshine State politics. Gillum upset the Democratic establishment to win the 2018 gubernatorial nomination but ultimately fell short in the race against DeSantis by roughly 32,000 votes.
Rather than becoming the face of a Democratic comeback in Florida, Gillum became engulfed in personal scandals, ethics investigations, and criminal proceedings, The Daily Wire has reported.
In 2020, Miami Beach police found Gillum intoxicated inside a South Beach hotel room after a third man called 911 over concerns that Travis Dyson, a male escort also in the room, had overdosed. Officers recovered suspected methamphetamine and prescription pill bottles, though prosecutors ultimately declined to file charges because they could not establish ownership of the drugs.
Gillum later entered rehabilitation, saying he had developed an alcohol dependency after his election defeat. “This has been a wake-up call for me,” Gillum said at the time. “Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse.”
Gillum’s legal troubles continued in 2022, when federal prosecutors accused him of conspiracy, wire fraud, and making false statements as part of an alleged campaign finance scheme. A jury acquitted him of lying to federal agents in May 2023 and deadlocked on the remaining counts, and prosecutors dropped the case days later rather than retry him.
It remains unclear how the bond violation will affect Gillum’s pending drug case, in which he faces a felony possession charge stemming from the July traffic stop. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 13.
“This is really sad,” Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross said. “Addiction is an illness. He needs help. Not a podcast. Not a TV appearance. Clinical attention and support.”
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