Civil rights leader Arthenia Joyner endorses Charlie Crist for Governor

Former state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, a political and civil rights icon in the Tampa Bay area, is backing U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist for Governor in 2022.

Joyner announced her endorsement ahead of the Hillsborough County Democratic Party’s Kennedy-King Gala. Joyner represented St. Pete and Tampa for 10 years in the Legislature.

Joyner was the first Black woman to serve as Florida Senate Minority Leader. She is currently the longest practicing Black woman lawyer in Florida.

“Again and again, Charlie Crist has stood in defense of our God-given rights of equality, freedom and human dignity. I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with him once again,” Joyner said in a statement.

Joyner’s service in the Legislature overlapped with Crist’s time in office as Governor, a position he held from 2007 until early 2011 as a Republican.

“Whether it was legislation we passed tackling wrongful incarceration or minority infant deaths, it was then-Gov. Charlie Crist who signed that legislation into law and then came to my district to sign the bill. It was Gov. Crist who fought against the political pressure of the Republican party and restored the voting rights of non-violent felons who had paid their debts to society,” Joyner said. “The stakes in this upcoming election for Governor could not be higher, but the choice we are called upon to make could not be simpler. I wholeheartedly, proudly endorse my friend, Charlie Crist, for Florida’s next Governor.”

Joyner is a renowned civil rights leader who was arrested multiple times for challenging injustice. She broke down numerous racial barriers throughout her career, including becoming the first Black woman lawyer to practice in Hillsborough County. She later was selected to serve as president of the National Bar Association.

“I am deeply humbled to have the support and endorsement of a Tampa Bay trailblazer and civil rights champion, former Sen. Arthenia Joyner,” Crist said in a statement. “Sen. Joyner is a relentless public servant in the fight for justice, equality, and civil rights, an ally to all, and someone who was never afraid to get into some ‘good trouble’ in the name of doing what’s right. Her support signals our campaign’s continued commitment to ending the current Governor’s attack on voting rights and delivering justice for all Floridians across our state. We’re on a mission to build a Florida for All and are proud to have Sen. Joyner on our side.”

Crist has garnered more than 100 endorsements from state and local community leaders and elected officials since launching his gubernatorial campaign. Key endorsers include U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor and Al Lawson, former Florida Lt. Gov. nominee Chris King, state Sen. Audrey Gibson, and Alcee Hastings II, the son of the late Congressman Alcee Hastings.

Crist is the only Democratic candidate to be endorsed by a major labor union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

The 2022 Governor’s race is in full swing, with a handful of statewide Democrats vying to unseat incumbent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Crist faces Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and state Sen. Annette Taddeo in the Democratic Primary.

At the moment, DeSantis appears to be in good shape against likely Democratic opponents, according to the latest survey from St. Pete Polls commissioned by Florida Politics.

The poll, taken Nov. 18 and 19, shows DeSantis leading the two most prominent Democrats challenging his re-election. If the election were held today between DeSantis and Crist, the Governor would take nearly 51% of the vote to the Crist’s nearly 45%. In a head-to-head with Fried, DeSantis would take just over 51% to her 42%.