Andrew Gillum, the former Tallahassee mayor who narrowly lost the 2018 Florida gubernatorial race to Republican Ron DeSantis, was arrested last week in Alabama on drug possession charges. The 46-year-old was taken into custody Thursday evening in Daphne, Alabama, after officers pulled him over for erratic driving on U.S. Highway 98 around 10:45 p.m. on July 2.
According to police, officers noticed a glass pipe on the center console of Gillum’s vehicle during the traffic stop, which gave them probable cause to search the car. The search yielded rolled marijuana cigarettes and three packages of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. Police recovered approximately three grams of methamphetamine, eight pre-rolled marijuana joints, four cut straws, three pipes, and a bong, according to incident reports.
Gillum was booked into the Baldwin County Correctional Facility and charged with possession of dangerous drugs, drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana. He was released after posting a combined $6,500 bond. If convicted of the dangerous drugs charge, a felony under Alabama law, he could face up to five years in prison and a $7,500 fine. The misdemeanor charges related to drug paraphernalia and marijuana possession each carry potential sentences of up to one year in prison and fines of up to $6,000.
Gillum’s arrest represents the latest legal trouble for the once-prominent Democratic political figure. He served as Tallahassee’s mayor from 2014 to 2018 and won the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018, making him Florida’s first Black major-party gubernatorial nominee. He narrowly lost the general election to DeSantis by approximately 30,000 to 34,000 votes—a margin of less than a percentage point that triggered an automatic recount.
The arrest marks another significant development in a series of controversies that have marked Gillum’s life since his close gubernatorial defeat. In March 2020, Miami Beach police responded to the Mondrian South Beach Hotel after reports that a man had overdosed on drugs. Officers found Gillum in the hotel room with two other men in what police described as an intoxicated state. The police report indicated that officers discovered small bags containing suspected crystal methamphetamine in the room, though no drugs were found directly on Gillum. He was not charged in that incident, as prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to link him directly to the narcotics.
Following the 2020 incident, Gillum acknowledged struggling with depression and alcohol abuse after his narrow loss in the gubernatorial race. He released a statement at the time admitting he had too much to drink but denied using methamphetamines. He subsequently entered rehabilitation and announced he was stepping back from public life.
Gillum’s legal troubles extended beyond the hotel incident. In 2022, federal prosecutors indicted him on 21 counts including wire fraud, conspiracy, and making false statements. The charges alleged that he and longtime political ally Sharon Lettman-Hicks diverted campaign contributions and grant money for personal use while misleading donors and investigators. In May 2023, a federal jury acquitted Gillum of lying to the FBI but deadlocked on the remaining charges. Federal prosecutors subsequently moved to dismiss the remaining counts against him.
Earlier in his political career, Gillum also faced an ethics investigation related to his time as Tallahassee’s mayor. The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause in 2019 that he improperly accepted gifts, including trips and tickets to the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” from individuals who were undercover FBI agents. He settled that matter by paying a $5,000 civil fine.
In the years following his 2018 campaign, Gillum remained active in political and media circles. He served as a political commentator for CNN and continued involvement in voter registration and political advocacy efforts. However, the various legal proceedings and personal difficulties have marked a dramatic departure from the early promise of his political career.
As of Tuesday, Gillum had not publicly commented on the Alabama arrest. The charges remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The case is being handled by the Daphne Police Department and Baldwin County authorities.