Local Pinellas County leaders endorse Michele Rayner for CD 13

State Rep. Michele Rayner has secured endorsements from a slew of Pinellas County elected officials, including St. Petersburg City Council members Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Lisa Wheeler-Bowman, as Rayner pursues a Congressional seat.

The St. Pete City Council members join Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith and Gulfport City Commissioner Paul Ray in backing Rayner’s run for the seat in Florida’s 13th Congressional District.

“In a time when justice for all should be a collaborative effort of all our lawmakers; we have seen, with proven evidence, the inequities and that there is still a struggle with the injustices of our nation and our state. This is the moment where we must put action to words as a collective and I trust Rep. Rayner to continue her dedication to boldly address these disparities,” Figgs-Sanders said in a statement.

“Rep. Rayner is not only a historic and outstanding candidate, but she is a proven leader who has worked across the aisle to bring home results. Our workers, our neighborhoods, and our St. Petersburg culture has benefitted from her service. I am proud to endorse her for Congress and am eagerly awaiting her future efforts on behalf of our residents

Former state Rep. Ed Narain and former St. Petersburg City Council member Steve Kornell also announced their endorsements of Rayner.

“Rep. Michele Rayner has made food more accessible in our neighborhoods through policy and on the ground organizing,” Wheeler-Bowman said in a statement. “When families were looking for groceries during the holidays, she was behind the food drives or passing out gift-cards to those in need. When our vulnerable and historically excluded communities struggled to access COVID-19 vaccines, Rep. Michele Rayner was there using her platforms in the name of equity. She has been there for us and we will be there for her at the polls in November.”

Since launching her congressional campaign, Rayner has garnered endorsements from EMILY’s List, the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Victory Fund, Equality PAC, Democracy for America, LPAC, Collective PAC, Elect Democratic Women PAC and National Black Justice Coalition.

“Our local leadership has served as a backbone for our vulnerable communities through the COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing effects,” Rayner said in a statement. “I am honored to be supported by colleagues who have stepped up to serve our vibrant neighborhoods and the needs of the people of Pinellas County.”

“I ran for office to make a difference and was grateful to receive the counsel of local leaders who kept a pulse on the transformations and challenges our residents were facing. As I venture into this next chapter and look forward to continued service as the next Congresswoman for District 13, I know the importance of working in partnership with our stakeholders, current and former local elected officials, and the many constituency groups who fill the gaps, and I intend to continue being a partner in Congress to achieve our shared goals,” she continued.

Florida’s CD 13 race will be one of the most closely watched in the 2022 midterms. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist is leaving a seat previously long held by Republicans. The race could help shift the balance of power in Washington.

Rayner faces fellow state Rep. Ben Diamond and former Barack Obama administration official Eric Lynn in the Democratic Primary for CD 13.

The winner of the Democratic Primary will face off against either Air Force veteran Anna Paulina Luna, Republican strategist Amanda Makki, nonprofit founder Audrey Henson, former prosecutor Kevin Hayslett or Christine Quinn. Makki lost the Republican Primary to Luna in 2020. Crist then beat Luna in the General Election with 53% of the vote.

Democrats have a voter registration advantage of 20,000 over Republicans in the district, but Republican presence has been growing since the GOP lost the seat to Crist.