Whitney Fox lands powerful SEIU endorsement as CD 13 Democratic Primary inches closer

Whitney Fox is flexing her fundraising muscles. Image via Whitney Fox for Congress.

SEIU Florida is endorsing Whitney Fox in her race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, bringing her tally of major union endorsements to three.

SEIU Florida is one of the state’s largest unions. It represents more than 80,000 workers in the state.

“Whitney Fox is a SEIU champion who understands the needs of working people across Florida. As a union with a membership largely made up of women and people of color, we are deeply invested in the issues that impact our communities, whether we are fighting for better wages, safer workplaces, quality, affordable healthcare, a woman’s right to choose, and more,” SEIU Florida State Council Vice President Coy Jones said.

“This pivotal election year, we are standing with candidates, like Whitney, who are good for workers, good for families, and good for Florida.”

The SEIU Florida endorsement comes after two other major unions, the International Union of Operating Engineers and the American Federation of Government Employees, also offered support.

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of SEIU Florida,” Fox said. “Their members are the backbone of our communities, providing essential services in our hospitals, schools, and local governments. I’m committed to fighting alongside SEIU for living wages, workplace dignity, and quality affordable healthcare. Together, we can build a Florida that works for all of us, not just the wealthy few.”

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

In all, Fox has more than 50 endorsements to tout now, including most recently from 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.

Her latest endorsement comes after Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime, was killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, also offered his support last week.

Guttenberg’s endorsement came the same day Fox launched her first television ad of the cycle. The ad warned of threats to “our rights, our democracy, and our way of life,” arguing that “extremists in Congress would rather ban abortion and overturn elections than help Pinellas families.” The ad ended with Fox vowing that she’ll “stop them.”

One of Fox’s top competitors in the Primary, Liz Dahan, also released an ad the same day touting her work with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

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.