Scott Powers
Sunrise Movement, a climate change action group aimed at organizaing young progressives on the topic nationwide, is endorsing Democrat Anna Eskamani for Florida’s House District 47 in Orange County, her campaign announced.
Eskamani is the only candidate in any Florida election and one of only 20 candidates nationally in political campaigns at any level that Sunrise Movement has endorsed in its first round. Among others with her on the group’s “Sunrise Slate” are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democratic-Socialist who won the upset Democratic primary victory in a New York congressional race; and Abdul El-Sayed, the Michigan Democrat seeking to become the nation’s first Muslim governor.
“Anna is a progressive advocate, daughter of immigrants, and our endorsed candidate in the Democratic primary for FL HD 47,” Sunrise Movement tweeted. “She was one of the earliest signers in Florida of the #NoFossilFuelMoney pledge and wants Florida to join Orlando in reaching for 100 percent renewables.”
Eskamani, an Orlando non-profit organization’s executive, has escaped a Democratic primary battle and awaits the winner of the Aug. 28 Republican primary between lawyer Mikaela Nix of Orlando and businessman Stockton Reeves VI of Winter Park. They hope to succeed Republican state Rep. Mike Miller representing north and central Orange County including downtown Orlando.
“I believe that Florida’s future economy relies on protecting and preserving our natural resources, from waterways to beaches, from swamps to forests,” Eskamani stated in a news release. “As the Sunshine State, we should be the global leader in renewable energy, especially solar. We must invest in the creation of green jobs, and prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy. Climate change is real, and we must not only curb it’s impact but protect communities who are already experiencing extreme weather and rising sea levels. It’s time we evolve away from energy sources of the past and look instead, towards the future.”
