But unlike his predecessors, DeSantis was not interested in talking much about Fidel Castro. Instead, he warned of a new scourge in American politics: socialism, in the form of Andrew Gillum, his opponent in the state’s closely watched governor’s race.

Never mind that Gillum has rejected the socialist label, or that his campaign platform reflects policies espoused by many mainstream Democrats, such as raising the minimum wage and expanding Medicaid. Even before Gillum’s surprise victory in the late-August primary, Republicans were portraying him as a far-left candidate out of touch with Florida, the nation’s biggest swing state.

But deploying the strategy in South Florida, a community fundamentally shaped by Cubans who fled the Caribbean island after the 1959 revolution, has higher stakes. It represents the core of Florida Republicans’ push to keep non-Cuban Hispanic voters from decamping to the Democratic Party for the long haul.

Monday’s rally was DeSantis’ first since announcing earlier in the day that he had resigned his seat in Congress retroactive to Sept. 1 to focus on the governor’s race.

And after being attacked in the Republican primary for being a Washington fixture who mostly communicated with Floridians via cable news interviews, DeSantis also indicated a recognition that he must further immerse himself in his state.

That includes catering to Latino voters. Last week, DeSantis named state Rep. Jeanette Nuñez, a Cuban-American lawmaker who is well-liked in the state Capitol, as his pick for lieutenant governor.

“If our opponent, Andrew Gillum, wants to associate himself with the likes of Bernie Sanders, I dare him to come to Miami-Dade County and see what kind of reception he gets,” Nuñez said.

Gillum has not shied from a confrontation over his progressive credentials.

“I’m a Democrat,” Gillum said the day after his primary victory. “I will not shed that label any day of the week.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Patricia Mazzei © 2018 The New York Times