Drew Wilson
Top Democrats from around the state will show their support for Rep. Loranne Ausley’s Senate campaign during a virtual event Thursday at 6 p.m.
The event invitation lists nearly 200 people and includes Democratic politicians and influencers from the local level all the way up to the national stage.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, is serving as an honoree for the Countdown to Victory event. She’s joined at the top of the invitation by U.S. Rep. Al Lawson and Tallahassee Sen. Bill Montford, who Ausley is running to succeed in November.
Further down the list are dozens of elected officials, including some of Ausley’s colleagues in the Legislature and many high-profile local politicians.
Those “special guests” include former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, and Senators including current Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson and incoming Democratic Leader Gary Farmer.
Local officials will also show up in force, with Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey and the full set of City Commissioners — Elaine Bryant, Jeremy Matlow, Curtis Richardson, Dianne Williams-Cox — all signed up to attend.
There are three donor tiers for the event — $1,000 for “Chair,” $500 for “Host,” and $100 for “Guest.” Those looking to attend the Zoom event can send an RSVP to the committee via [email protected].
Ausley is competing against Republican Marva Preston in the general election for SD 3 which covers all of Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties.
Despite the seat’s historically strong Democratic lean, Republicans have been putting resources behind Preston’s campaign — she’s been endorsed by the Governor and the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee has been funding ads in the district attempting to connect Ausley’s campaign to the Florida Democratic Party’s Paycheck Protection Program loan scandal.
Still, Ausley has outraised Preston every step of the way and has started airing ads of her own. The first, released earlier this month, touts the lawmaker’s leadership record in the Florida House.
