‘The kind of shake-up our state needs’: SAVE Action PAC backs Emily Rodriguez for HD 98

Former legislative aide Emily Rodrigues’ bid to represent Broward County in the House now has the emphatic support of South Florida’s longest-serving organization for championing LGBTQ rights.

SAVE Action PAC, associated with Miami-based SAVE, confirmed it is backing Rodrigues this week in a glowing endorsement.

“For over 30 years, SAVE’s endorsement process has engaged community members to decide which candidates will earn our support. We couldn’t be more excited to turn their decision to endorse Emily Rodrigues into action, and to do what we can to ensure she is elected to the Florida Legislature,” SAVE Executive Director Todd Delmay said in a statement.

“Emily has already been in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, and to see her take her abilities and advocacy to Tallahassee is the kind of shake-up our state needs to make sure we start moving forward again.”

The SAVE Action PAC nod joins others Rodrigues received since she entered the race in January. Three Democratic lawmakers — Miami Gardens Sen. Shevrin Jones, Boynton Beach Rep. Joe Casello and Orlando Rep. Rita Harris — have endorsed her too. So have Ruth’s List Florida, SEIU Florida, Run For Something, Moms Demand Action, NOW PAC and the Broward Young Democrats.

Jones, her former boss in the Senate and the first openly gay Black person elected to the Legislature, called Rodrigues “the real deal.”

In a statement, Rodrigues said she’s “seen first-hand the attacks LGBTQ legislators faced, especially if they were women or persons of color.”

“Florida’s LGBTQ community (is) looking at our lawmakers for solidarity and solutions, and my next steps for if I am elected will be informed by the gay, lesbian, bi, trans and queer folk who have been in this fight for decades,” she said.

“South Florida’s LGBTQ communities have a stake in this; and as the youngest, only Latina, and only openly bisexual candidate in South Florida this election cycle, the freedom to love and be proud of who I am is integral to my candidacy.”

Rodrigues, who now works as a digital strategist for nonprofit fundraising portfolio company MissionWired, is one of four Democrats running to succeed term-limited Rep. Patricia Hawkins-Williams.

Primary voters will choose between her and U.S. Army veteran Keith Abel, small-business owner Shelton Pooler and Oakland Park Mayor Mitch Rosenwald.

There are no Republicans in the race. Whoever secures the most votes by the time polls close on Aug. 20 will win outright.

HD 98 covers portions of Deerfield Beach, Lauderdale Lakes, Oakland Park and Pompano Beach.