Joe Biden endorses Margaret Good in CD 16

Margaret Good seemed to be the Democratic savior in Vern Buchanan's seat. It's not working out that way.

Sarasota Democrat Margaret Good picked up an endorsement Thursday from the top of the ticket. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden endorsed her candidacy in Florida’s 16^th Congressional District.

“Margaret’s commitment to putting aside partisan politics to deliver results for working families is exactly what we need more of in Washington,” Biden said. “I’m proud to endorse her candidacy for Congress.”

This actually marks the second time Biden endorsed Good’s candidacy. He also backed her special election bid when she won a seat in the Florida House. She defeated Republican James Buchanan, the son of sitting Congressman Vern Buchanan. Now she’s running against the elder Buchanan for his job in Washington.

“Vice President Joe Biden supported me in my special election for State House in 2018, and I’m so grateful to have his support again,” she said. “I look forward to working with him next year to bring positive change to this district, Florida, and our country.”

The endorsement notably came as Good made the case online that her election may be critical in ensuring the integrity of the Presidential contest. An article in The Atlantic has spurred speculation President Donald Trump may challenge election results in swing states like Florida if he does not win the vote.

That means Florida’s electoral votes could conceivably be awarded based on a vote of the Florida Congressional Delegation, where Buchanan serves as co-chair. Right now, the Delegation includes 14 Republicans and 13 Democrats.

Good, sharing a Newsweek article speculating on the process, said she’s in one of the Florida races where Democrats could flip the majority in the Delegation. Should that occur, it would be the first time more Democrats represent Florida in the House since 1989.

“We’re 1 of 3. Just 1 of 3 races in the U.S. able to flip the Congressional delegation majority from Republican to Democrat to prevent Trump from overturning the election,” Good tweeted.

Prognosticators agree the race is one of a handful of competitive general election races, but also that Good has an uphill climb. Cook Political Report and Sabato Crystal Ball list the race in the “Likely Republican Column.”

Biden also endorsed in another Florida federal contest Thursday, backing Rep, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell‘s reelection in Florida’s 26th Congressional District.