Ryan Nicol
With less than a month to go until the primary elections, EMILY’s List is getting behind Tina Polsky and Kelly Skidmore as they battle in competitive primaries in a pair of South Florida races.
After one term serving in the House, Polsky is seeking the Senate District 29 seat, which Sen. Kevin Rader is vacating.
With Polsky leaving her House District 81 seat to run for the Senate, Skidmore — a former state Representative — is now seeking to return to the House by pursuing HD 81.
Both are facing a primary fight to secure a spot in the general election. Polsky is up against former Democratic Rep. Irv Slosberg. The winner will take on Republican candidate Brian Andrew Norton in the general election.
In HD 81, Skidmore is competing against attorney Michael Weinstein on the Democratic side. Saulis Banionis and Silmo Moura are both chasing the GOP nomination.
Polsky and Skidmore are the only women candidates in their respective contests. EMILY’s List is a national organization aimed at electing Democratic women who support abortion rights.
“EMILY’s List is proud to endorse two more fierce women leaders for the Florida Legislature. As we grapple with the ongoing public health and economic crises of COVID-19, voters can trust that these women will be tireless champions for working families who are committed to fighting for quality and affordable health care and boosting Florida’s economy,” said EMILY’s List president Stephanie Schriock.
“Having dedicated their careers to prioritizing their communities as elected officials and activists, we are confident that they will be outspoken voices for much-needed progress in the Sunshine State. EMILY’s List is proud to stand with them, and we look forward to increasing the representation of pro-choice Democratic women in both chambers and flipping the state Senate in November.”
The new endorsements come after Ruth’s List Florida — a statewide group supported by EMILY’s List — also endorsed Polsky and Skidmore.
Polsky is facing a tough fight against Slosberg, who has poured nearly $800,000 of his own money into the SD 29 bid. In HD 81, Skidmore has largely run even with Weinstein in both outside money raised and remaining cash on hand.
Florida’s primaries will take place on Aug. 18.
