Emily Rodrigues campaign for HD 98 scores Ruth’s List endorsement

Broward County native and former state legislative aide Emily Rodrigues’ bid for House District 98 now carries an endorsement from Ruth’s List Florida, a national organization dedicated to electing women who support abortion rights.

Rodrigues’ campaign announced the endorsement in a news release noting that “Florida Democrats win when women win,” citing Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book and House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell as examples.

Ruth’s List Florida confirmed the endorsement on X.

“Emily’s call to public service is deeply personal as a survivor of sexual assault on her college campus,” the group wrote. “Emily is the only woman running to keep this important Democratic seat.”

Rodrigues, 25, vows, if elected, to fight for abortion rights, lower insurance premiums, and affordable housing while defending public school teachers.

Her campaign platform also includes “Emily’s Plan,” a series of survivor-centered policies. It includes extending and ultimately eliminating statutes of limitations on sex crimes, addressing systemic backlogs of state cases and providing more institutional support to victims of all crimes across the state.

During her first year at the University of Central Florida, Rodrigues was raped at a fraternity house. She kept the incident secret for years but broke her silence after another student was similarly assaulted.

She said she is “extremely honored” to have the support of Ruth’s List.

“Ruth’s List is the leading political power and vanguard for Democrats in Florida, and it has been the lifeline for women in our state since 2008,” she said. “Strengthening pro-choice women to run for office is how Florida Democrats survive being in the superminority, win races across the state, and thrive for the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe.”

She continued, “My deep gratitude for the support Ruth’s List provides to pro-choice Democrats is shared by the sisterhood of candidates I met through the training and resources provided even before my endorsement. The financial and political uplift of Ruth’s List will allow our race to be the focus of a dominating network of pro-women advocates across the country.”

The nod from Ruth’s List joins another from Run For Something, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on electing progressive millennial and Gen Z candidates to local office for the first or second time.

Rodriguez, who worked for Miami Gardens Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones and a nonprofit fundraising portfolio company called MissionWired before seeking public office, faces four Democratic Primary opponents. They’re running to succeed Rep. Patricia Hawkins-Williams, who must leave office due to term limits.

The candidates include retired U.S. Army veteran Keith Abel, Hawkins-Williams legislative aide Robert Moore, small business owner Shelton Pooler and Oakland Park Mayor Mitch Rosenwald.

HD 98 covers Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes and Oakland Park. The district leans heavily Democratic. So far, no Republican has filed to run there. There’s just over a month left to do so and qualify.

The Primary Election is on Aug. 20, followed by the General Election on Nov. 5.