Eric Holder’s redistricting PAC backs four Florida House candidates, pledges $124K for those races

Eric Holder to visit Florida about voting rights.

The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) — a pro-Democratic PAC chaired by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder — is endorsing four Florida House candidates and committing $124,000 to help win those contests.

The Tuesday announcement came as the NDRC committed to backing 102 Democratic candidates in states across the country. The group has also pledged approximately $2 million to those races.

To that end, the NDRC is endorsing Kayser Enneking in House District 21, Franccesca Cesti-Browne in House District 115, Ricky Junquera in House District 118 and Clint Barras in House District 120.

All four candidates are unopposed in their respective Democratic primaries as they each compete to flip a Republican-held seat.

“This November will be the most important election of our lives, not just at the presidential level, but also with regard to state legislative races that will shape the next decade of America’s politics,” Holder said in a Tuesday statement.

“Because of the failure, chaos, and uncertainty caused by the federal response to the coronavirus, the NDRC is stepping up and making a seven-figure investment to help candidates and campaigns in eleven states adjust to an unprecedented election cycle. Our democracy is being tested like never before, and the candidates that I’ve proudly endorsed deserve every chance to deliver their message to the voters.

“I look forward to supporting their successful campaigns that will help us take power away from self-interested politicians and return it to the people.”

Enneking is a doctor who in 2018 challenged GOP Sen. Keith Perry in Senate District 8. She lost that contest by 1 percentage point. She’s now set for a one-on-one match-up against Republican Rep. Chuck Clemons.

Cesti-Browne is the former chairperson for the Miami-Dade County Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board. She’s challenging the well-funded GOP Rep. Vance Aloupis. Both have secured their respective nominations and will face off in the general election.

Junquera, too, has his general election contest set. He’ll challenge Republican Rep. Anthony Rodriguez. Junquera is the Vice Chair of Outreach for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party.

Barras is the only candidate of the four running in an open contest. Republican Rep. Holly Raschein, who currently serves HD 120, is term-limited. Former House candidate Rhonda Rebman Lopez, attorney Alexandria Suarez and Islamorada Councilman and former Mayor Jim Mooney are competing for the open Republican nomination.

Barras, of Key West, is the Vice President of Business Development for Two Oceans Digital.

As part of the endorsement, the candidates were required to sign the NDRC’s redistricting pledge. That statement says they will promise to “support fair redistricting that ends map manipulation and creates truly representative districts.

Late last year, Holder visited South Florida to discuss redistricting with several local groups. The NDRC has also launched the “All On The Line” campaign to help encourage participation in the 2020 Census.

“Florida is on our radar screen,” Holder said.

“This is an important state. What happens in this state has national consequences. And because it has national consequences, it truly has international consequences.”