A rising star of the Democratic party has said he will enter a rehabilitation centre following news that police found him heavily intoxicated in a hotel. Andrew Gillum, a former Florida mayor turned political commentator, said he would step down from public roles after he was found in a Miami hotel room with another man believed to be overdosing on crystal meth.

Mr Gillum, 40, apologised and said the episode was “a wake-up call” to seek help. He had been struggling with alcohol abuse since becoming depressed after narrowly losing the 2018 Florida governors race, he said. “Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated,” Mr Gillum said. “I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles. I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person.“(NU)…[+]