Whitney Fox first TV ad to share anti-extremist message during presidential debate

Whitney Fox. Image via Fox campaign.

Whitney Fox, a candidate for Florida’s 13th Congressional District anchored in Pinellas County, is launching the first television ad of her campaign, set to air Thursday night during the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle with a message condemning political extremism and defending democracy.

The 15-second spot, entitled “Our Rights,” shows a series of women and families, some looking angry, others resolved to make change.

Narrated by Fox, the ad opens with an ominous warning to voters.

“Our rights, our democracy, and our way of life is at risk,” she says in the ad, before pivoting to the reason.

“Because extremists in Congress would rather ban abortion and overturn elections than help Pinellas families,” she continues.

The ad ends on a positive note.

“I’m Whitney Fox. I’ll stop them.”

The ad will air on major cable networks during the debate to reach a wide audience. The campaign did not specify which major networks.

Fox is one of several Democrats vying for her party’s nomination to take on incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.

One of her Primary opponents, Liz Dahan, will also be airing an ad during the presidential debate. Neither ad mentions other Democrats in the race. They both instead focus on the Republican incumbent, though Fox’s does not mention Luna by name.

Fox is the top fundraiser in the race so far, according to the most recent campaign finance reports available. Other competitive candidates include Sabrina Bousbar and Mark Weinkrantz.

On paper, Fox appears to be the front-runner, with not only a campaign finance edge over her Primary opponents, but also an advantage in endorsements.

To date, Fox has rounded up support from more than 50 current and former elected officials, community leaders and organizations. That includes an endorsement announced the same day the ad is dropping from Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jaime Guttenberg, who was one of 17 people killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting.

Other endorsers include three members of Congress in Illinois, Colorado and North Carolina. She also has backing from U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, Lois Frankel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz; state Rep. Lindsay Cross; state Sen.-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith; former St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman; former state Sen. Janet Cruz; former state Reps. Margaret Good and Adam Hattersley; former congressional candidate Alan Cohn; Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers; Pinellas County School Board member Caprice Edmond; St. Pete City Council members Gina Driscoll, Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Lisset Hanewicz; Oldsmar Vice Mayor Andrew Knapp; Oldsmar City Council member Steve Graber; Gulfport City Council members Paul Ray and April Thanos; former St. Pete Beach Mayor Al Johnson; former Seminole City Council member Jim Olliver; Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith; Dunedin City Commissioner Jeff Gow; Largo City Commissioner Jamie Robinson; and the National Women’s Political Caucus, among others.

Former state Rep. Ben Diamond has also endorsed Fox, which at the time put to bed rumors that he was considering a bid himself.

Whoever emerges from the Democratic Primary victorious will have a big challenge ahead. Luna won CD 13 for Republicans in 2022 following redistricting, which shifted the district from a slight Democratic advantage to a GOP-leaning seat. Cook Political Report lists the district as likely Republican at R+6.