TALLAHASSEE — With days remaining before the February 22 Democratic primary deadline, the race between Calvin Beningham and Paletuatoa Peniamina has entered a sharper phase.

Trailing in recent polling, Beningham launched a healthcare-focused television ad in the Jacksonville–Tallahassee market directly naming Peniamina and questioning his transparency and leadership priorities. The move marks Beningham’s clearest contrast yet in what had largely been a policy-driven contest.

The ad opens with Florida families in medical settings before cutting to footage of Peniamina at rallies. A narrator says Democrats “deserve more than speeches” and calls for “transparency” and “accountability.” Beningham then appears, pledging to expand Medicaid, lower prescription drug costs, and protect access to care. The ad closes by emphasizing his ability to defeat Governor Samuel Sharp in November.

Peniamina has focused on mobilizing liberal voters with rallies centered on healthcare, civil rights, climate, and student debt. His strategy has energized the progressive base and helped him maintain a polling advantage.

Beningham, meanwhile, is making a pragmatic case to liberals concerned about both policy and electability. His campaign argues that defeating Sharp requires coalition-building beyond the Democratic base.

Strategists say the contrast reflects urgency. By raising questions about transparency, Beningham aims to create hesitation among late-deciding voters. The Jacksonville–Tallahassee market was chosen deliberately, targeting highly engaged Democratic voters in the capital region.

Peniamina’s allies have dismissed the ad as a late-stage attack from a trailing campaign, arguing that bold leadership — not caution — will drive turnout.

Electability has become central in the closing stretch. Early general polling shows Sharp ahead of either Democrat, though analysts note primary fragmentation often narrows after consolidation.

The final days are expected to intensify.