Jacob Ogles
State Rep. Margaret Good’s surprise victory in a 2018 special election fueled Democrats’ nationwide hopes for the midterms.
Now, she’s been nominated for a 2019 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award from EMILY’s List.
“Margaret Good is a strong leader in the Florida House who is standing up for her constituents every day,” said Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List.
Good said having groups like Emily’s List focused on the work of state legislatures remained critically important, and she felt honored by the nomination.
“I see myself as representing ing a whole group of really amazing women in Florida,” she said. “That’s humbling and amazing.”
The national PAC seeks to elect pro-choice Democratic women to elected offices around the country.
But Good’s performance on a range of progressive issues inspired her nomination.
“Whether she is fighting for affordable health care, working to improve Florida’s public schools, or advocating for common-sense gun reform, Margaret is a champion for progress in Florida,” Schriock said.
“EMILY’s List is honored to support Margaret and nominate her for the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award.”
Good won a special election last February and ended up being sworn into office on Feb. 14. That’s the same day a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
In the wake of the tragedy, Good has championed gun reform, this year sponsoring a bill to require background checks on private firearms sales.
The freshman Democrat also quickly moved into a party leadership position, and in November was named as a Democratic Deputy Leader in the Florida House.
While she won re-election in November by a narrower margin than the February special election, Good proved a prolific fundraiser in both campaigns.
The Rising Star award is named for former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who in 2011 survived an assassination attempt where six others were killed. Giffords has since left Congress and focused on gun reform advocacy.
Previous Rising Star Award recipients include:
— Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, who went on to run for governor.
— Ayanna Pressley, Boston City Councilwoman, now a U.S. Representative.
— Colorado House Speaker Crisanta Duran, the first Latina to hold the role.
— Philadelphia City Councilwoman Helen Gym, the first Asian-American woman to hold that position.
— Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx; the first African-American to hold that position.
