MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The daughter of former Gov. Bob Graham wants to follow in her father's footsteps.
Gwen Graham said Tuesday morning that she is running for Florida governor.
"My patience for inaction in this state that I love has run out," Graham said during her campaign announcement in Miami Gardens.
Her father was Florida's governor from 1979 to 1987. He later served three terms in the U.S. Senate.
Bob Graham and his wife attended their daughter's announcement.
Gwen Graham, who recently served one term in Congress, spoke about the need to raise Florida's minimum wage, provide paid sick leave, invest in infrastructure and diversify Florida's economy.
She has worked as a school system administrator and lawyer focused on environmental and energy issues.
Drawing from her work in education, Graham vowed to renew public schools, infuse lottery funding and end standardized testing.
"I will do whatever it takes, including using the governor's line-item veto, to end -- to end -- this high-stakes testing," Graham said.
The 54-year-old Democrat is vying for the job against fellow Democrat and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who announced his intention to run in March, and Orlando businessman Chris King.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam became the first Republican to announce his intention to run for governor in 2018 after filing the required paperwork Monday.
Graham announced her bid in the shadows of Miami Carol City Senior High School, where she attended a workday with educators. It is a tradition that her father started at the same school in the 1970s.
"There's a lot more of Florida that needs to get to know Gwen," her father told Local 10 News reporter Glenna Milberg.
Republican Gov. Rick Scott cannot run again because of term limits.