FAMU alumnus Kendrick Meek made history yesterday evening as the first African American to win the Florida Democratic Party’s nomination for U.S. Senator.Meek, a four-term Congressman, defeated billionaire real estate investor Jeff Greene in the hotly contested primary race. He will face Republican nominee Marco Rubio and independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist in the November general election.
The Associated Press reported that Meek led Greene 57 percent to 31, with 95 percent of precincts tallied.
"Floridians sent a clear message - they want a real Democrat representing them in the U.S. Senate," Meek said. "The naysayers said we couldn't beat a billionaire, and tonight with your help, we proved them wrong."
In his concession speech, Greene pledged to fully support Meek’s bid.
Fundraising will be a big priority for Meek as he prepares for the three-way general election race. According to CNN, Meek currently has $2M in his campaign coffers. Crist leads all three candidates with $8M, followed by Rubio with $4M.