Mitch PerryAlthough the field is far from complete, five of the seven Pinellas County Democratic Party district chairs have already decided they’ve seen enough of first-time Congressional District 13 candidate Eric Lynn to endorse him a full year before the Democratic primary vote in Pinellas County.
Torrey Craig, Steve Sarnoff, Everett Paul, Bonnie Sklaren and Bonnie Agan all have endorsed Lynn in recent days.
“I think they get the sense that they know that he’s committed to having a campaign that’s focused on grassroots energy and activity, and I think that’s very appealing to these local leaders,” said Lynn campaign spokesman Bill Burton.
The endorsements are a feather in Lynn’s camp as he continues to try to win over local Democrats. Lynn is the sole Democrat in the race at this point, though that’s expected to change once the the Florida Supreme Court signs off on the boundaries of the district.
The Florida Legislature ended its Special Session devoted exclusively to redrawing CD 13 and seven other congressional districts this past Friday. However, they never came to an agreement on a new map, putting the situation back into the courts. On Tuesday, Leon County Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis will hold a scheduling conference to review the options in front of him.
Depending on whether he accepts new maps from legislative leaders or decides to draw the lines himself, those maps will ultimately need to be given the seal of approval from the Florida Supreme Court, which in effect freezes the field until everyone knows the exact contours of the district.
Former Republican Gov. and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist has all but announced he will challenge Lynn for the seat. He is expected to make a formal announcement once the new congressional lines have been signed off on. The only Republican who has indicated any possible interest in the contest is former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, though there’s considerable doubt he will enter the contest.
“I’m humbled by the support of these leaders known for their exceptional work at the grassroots level,” Lynn said in a prepared statement. “They have their finger on the pulse of Democratic voters throughout the county and know the issues important to us. I’m looking forward to working with them to ensure that Pinellas families have a voice in Washington representing Democratic values.”
