Kelly Hayes
Former congressional candidate Sheila Griffin has endorsed Anna Paulina Luna’s campaign for Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
Griffin, who is also the former president of the Pinellas Suncoast Black Republican Club, was a candidate in the 2020 Republican Primaries for CD 13, which Luna won. But, after losing the 2020 General Election to incumbent Democrat Charlie Crist, Luna is running for the seat again, this time with Griffin as a supporter rather than challenger.
“We have been waiting for someone connected to the heart of the people. I endorse Anna Paulina Luna for U.S. Congress because of her responsiveness, tenacity and commitment to be courageous,” Griffin said in a statement. “As we focus on the future, tackling day to day issues is a real challenge. She will not back down, but stand firm as our Representative. This is our opportunity to finally have a candidate we can support that is committed to the values of family, life and freedom.”
Luna is considered a top-contender in the Republican Primary for CD 13. She faces former congressional staffer Amanda Makki, who lost to Luna in 2020 for the Republican nomination to face Crist, and nonprofit founder Audrey Henson.
Several Democrats are running, including state Reps. Ben Diamond and Michele Rayner-Goolsby and former President Barack Obama staffer Eric Lynn.
The race is considered one of the top congressional contests to watch as Republicans seek to reclaim a majority in the U.S. House. With Crist leaving office to run for Governor, it puts the GOP in prime position to take back a seat that, until Crist’s election in 2016, had been under Republican control for decades.
Redistricting this year could shift the balance of power within the Pinellas County district, which currently only has a slight Democratic advantage.
Democrats, meanwhile, will be fighting to keep the seat blue. The combination of efforts will likely lead to an expensive race with national appeal.
