Ryan Nicol
The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates (FAPPA) is endorsing Reps. Shevrin Jones and Tina Polsky in their respective Senate bids.
Jones is term-limited in House District 101, leading him to pursue the Senate District 35 seat.
Polsky is leaving the House after just one term serving House District 81. She’s leaving to run for the now-open Senate District 29 race after incumbent Sen. Kevin Rader dropped his reelection bid.
FAPPA is an advocacy group representing Florida’s two Planned Parenthood affiliates.
“As our communities and our country grapples with the ongoing pandemic and the continued injustices that our Black community faces, now more than ever our rights, our freedoms, and our health is on the line this November,” a Friday statement from the group said.
“Our endorsed candidates are champions for reproductive rights, and they share our commitment to advancing reproductive justice.”
Both Jones and Polsky are involved in competitive Democratic primaries in their respective races.
Jones is part of a jam-packed six-person field in SD 35. He’s competing against former Sen. Daphne Campbell, former firefighter Wilbur Harbin, Miami Gardens City Councilman Erhabor Ighodaro, former Rep. Cynthia Stafford and outgoing Rep. Barbara Watson for the Democratic nomination.
Write-in candidate Darien Hill also qualified in the contest.
Jones also recently received an endorsement from the Florida arm of the Service Employees International Union.
Polsky, meanwhile, is facing off in a one-on-one battle for the Democratic nomination in SD 29 against former Rep. Irv Slosberg.
A group of lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and former U.S. Rep. Ron Klein is announcing they are backing Polsky. Rep. Clovis Watson and West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James in turn announced their support for Slosberg.
The winner there will compete against first-time candidate Brian Andrew Norton, who was the only Republican to file in SD 29.
The primary contests will take place in less than two months on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
