Daniel Figueroa IV
Republican congressional candidate Amanda Makki on Monday announced her sixth endorsement from a Pinellas County Mayor.
Largo Mayor Woody Brown joined mayors from Seminole, Madeira Beach, North Redington Beach, Redington Beach and Belleair Shore in endorsing Makki to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist in Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
“She has been listening to the concerns of our residents and I’m confident that she understands the changes that we need in Washington,” Brown said. “I have endorsed Amanda Makki because I believe she will fight hard in Washington D.C. to make a real difference for our community here in Largo.”
The CD 13 GOP Primary will be a rematch of sorts for Makki. In 2020, Makki lost the Primary to Anna Paulina Luna, a Donald Trump-endorsed candidate both then and now. Luna went on to lose to Crist in the General Election but is back for another run next year, with Crist no longer on the ballot.
The two will also face Audrey Henson in the Primary. Makki had the strongest Q3 fundraising in the GOP field. She raised $295,789 to Luna’s $231,575 and has spent far less. Henson raised $206,335 and has also kept spending down.
Last week, Makki announced she signed the Tax Payer Protection Pledge. The pledge asks congressional candidates to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses” and “oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”
The pledge was introduced in 1986 by conservative activist Grover Norquist.
“In an era of runaway government spending by the Democrats’ one-party control of Washington, we need someone who will stop the wasteful borrowing and spending,” Makki said. “That’s why I’m committing to Pinellas County voters that they can trust me to stop the spending and not raise their taxes.”
The winner of the Republican Primary will face one of three Democrats vying for their party’s nomination — state Reps. Michelle Rayner-Goolsby and Ben Diamond or Obama-era National Security Adviser Eric Lynn.
