EMILY’s List backs 21 Florida legislative candidates

Image via The Associated Press.

EMILY’s List, a national political action committee supporting Democratic women candidates who support abortion rights, is revealing its endorsement of 21 legislative candidates in Florida.

“The anti-choice extremist Republican majority in the state legislature continues to vote to push abortion out of reach for Floridians, and they will not stop until no one can access necessary reproductive health care,” EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler said in a released statement.

“We know that these women are on the frontlines of the fight for our reproductive freedom and will advocate tirelessly until that right is restored. We are proud to stand with these candidates as they advance equity and justice across Florida.”

Most of the candidates snagging an endorsement are incumbents or Democrats without opposition in the Primary, but a handful of endorsements land in what could be fierce intra-party races.

Rep. Michelle Rayner of St. Petersburg is one of the candidates receiving EMILY’s List’s support. Rayner is in a Primary contest against former Rep. Wengay Newton, who is looking to regain his old seat in the Legislature in House District 62.

Also on the endorsement slate is Rep. Dotie Joseph of North Miami, another incumbent facing a Primary challenge for her re-election from a former member, ex-Rep. Roy Hardemon. Michael Etienne is also in that race for House District 108.

EMILY’s List is also backing Ashley Gantt, who is trying to unseat Rep. James Bush III of Miami in the Democratic Primary in House District 109.

The endorsement of one of the nation’s top abortion rights groups could help some of the candidates in tight races, but perhaps not until the General Election.

EMILY’s List spent $122,000 on Florida elections in 2020, with $83,500 of it going to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, through the United for Change political committee, although $73,500 came after the Primary that year.

Here’s the full list of EMILY’s List endorsements:

— Loranne Ausley, Senate District 3

— Tracie Davis, Senate District 5

— Joy Goff-Marcil, Senate District 10

— Janet Cruz, Senate District 14

— Eunic Ortiz, Senate District 18

— Lauren Book, Senate District 35

— Raquel Pacheco, Senate District 36

— Janelle Perez, Senate District 38

— Angie Nixon, House District 13

— Tiffany Hughes, House District 39

— Anna Eskamani, House District 42

— Johanna López, House District 43

— Lindsay Cross, House District 60

— Michele Rayner, House District 62

— Jen McDonald, House District 65

— Fentrice Driskell, House District 67

— Kelly Skidmore, House District 92

— Linda Thompson Gonzalez, House District 100

— Hillary Cassel, House District 101

— Dotie Joseph, House District 108

— Ashley Gantt, House District 109