Staff Reports
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson discussed health care and education Saturday in St. Petersburg with leaders from the Tampa Bay Ministerial Alliance and African-American Pastoral Alliance.
“These leaders are on the front lines,” said Nelson in a statement. “They know their communities and the issues they face every day. We will continue to work together to fight for the millions of Floridians in need of health care, address the hundreds of thousands in need of affordable housing, to reduce gun violence, and to stop the continued attack on public education.”
Leaders at the event promoted the Democratic senator, who is running for re-election right now and faces a serious challenge from Republican Gov. Rick Scott.
“There could not be more at stake and we need Bill Nelson in the Senate fighting for all Floridians,” said Pastor Frank Peterman of The Rock of Jesus Missionary Baptist. “Senator Nelson has fought to protect affordable health care and housing, the environment, for commonsense gun reform, and while some other elected officials have remained largely silent, Senator Nelson is demanding answers about thousands of children being cruelly separated from their mothers and fathers.”
State Sen. Darryl Rouson, a St. Petersburg Democrat, took the occasion to lob a shot at the Governor as well.
“These are serious threats to millions of Floridians and Senator Nelson is a tough ally in this fight,” Rouson said. “In contrast, Rick Scott denied health care to almost one million Floridians when he refused to expand Medicaid and has sat by while the state under his leadership is trying to strip protections from almost 8 million Floridians.”
