Ryan Nicol
Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is endorsing Rep. Javier Fernández in the Democratic primary for Senate District 39.
Mucarsel-Powell made the announcement despite the fact her former district chief of staff, Daniel Horton-Diaz, is also competing in that contest.
“I am endorsing Rep. Javier Fernández for District 39 because he understands the importance of finding real solutions to man-made climate change, solving our affordable housing crisis, and fixing Florida’s broken unemployment system,” Mucarsel-Powell said in a Friday statement.
The race is one of the highest-profile legislative races of the 2020 cycle. GOP Sen. Anitere Flores is term-limited, giving Democrats hope they have a chance to turn the seat blue this November.
“In the State Senate, I’m looking forward to having a partner in Washington who I can count on as we work together to fight climate change, end gun violence, and solve our housing crisis,” Fernández said in response to Mucarsel-Powell’s endorsement.
“Together, I know we can bring real change to Florida.”
GOP Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez and non-party affiliated candidate Celso Alfonso have also qualified in the contest.
Fernández topped the field in the most recent month of fundraising. Fernández added more than $33,000 to his campaign account in May. Florida Future, a political committee affiliated with the Fernández campaign, collected another $70,000.
Rodriguez added a combined $48,000 while Horton-Diaz collected just $2,200.
Alfonso did not file in the contest until June, thus was not required to submit a fundraising report for May.
SD 39 covers all of Monroe County and part of southern Miami-Dade County.
