Janelle Irwin Taylor
Blue Dog PAC, a coalition of moderate Democrats, is endorsing Whitney Fox for Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
The group aims to appeal to average Americans, through priorities that emphasize fiscal responsibility, strong national defense and cross-party collaboration.
“Whitney Fox is the right person to represent Pinellas County in Congress and the best candidate to flip this seat. A mom of two toddlers who grew up in the Tampa Bay area, Whitney will always put Florida families first,” Blue Dog PAC Chair U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson of California said.
Fox is running for the Democratic nomination in CD 13 to take on incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. Fox and her Democratic Primary competitors have described Luna as an extremist Republican.
The Blue Dog PAC chose Fox from the field of five Democratic candidates because leaders believe she will be a commonsense voice in Congress who focuses on bipartisan problem-solving to deliver results for her constituents.
“Whether it’s lowering home insurance costs, fixing the affordability crisis, or protecting access to health care and reproductive freedoms, Whitney Fox will deliver results for Pinellas County, rather than chasing headlines or clout online. Whitney is focused on the place she’s from and will work hard for her community, and we’re proud to endorse her,” Thompson said.
The Primary is Tuesday, when Fox will face challengers Sabrina Bousbar, Liz Dahan, John Liccione and Mark Weinkrantz.
Fox praised the Blue Dog Coalition for its commitment to working across the aisle to further progress.
“Blue Dogs are committed to finding practical solutions and putting their districts first, and that’s exactly how I plan to serve in Congress,” she said. “We’re all tired of the extreme rhetoric that prioritizes headlines over real progress. I’ll work across the aisle to bring meaningful change to our community, focusing on what truly matters — protecting our freedoms, boosting our economy, and ensuring our children have a brighter future.”
“Together, we will defeat Anna Paulina Luna and restore common sense to Washington, delivering real results for the people of Florida, not just empty promises,” Fox added.
U.S. Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Mary Peltola of Alaska and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington serve as the three official Co-Chairs of the Blue Dog Coalition.
Fox has emerged as a clear front-runner in the Primary, carrying both funding and endorsement advantages.
Fox has consistently outraised all of her Primary opponents. As of the end of the second quarter of 2024, Fox had raised nearly three quarters of $1 million. She brought in $320,632 in total contributions during the second quarter of 2024, which covers campaign finance activity from April through June.
When excluding personal loans to their campaigns, Fox outraised the entire field combined by more than $100,000. Fox did not loan her campaign any money.
And at about 60 so far, Fox is far and away leading her opposition in endorsements.
She recently landed endorsements from EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, and Planned Parenthood. Perhaps more importantly, she managed to land a coveted recommendation from the Tampa Bay Times. The paper described her as “a natural on the campaign trail and comfortable in the public eye.” The editorial board wrote that Fox “appears to have the personal fortitude to hold up under what will likely be a withering General Election campaign.”
Before that, Fox earned an endorsement from former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, who served in Congress as a pragmatist who often worked across the aisle to bring home policies, resources and other accomplishments for her constituents in a deeply divided congress. In her endorsement, Murphy said Fox was also a pragmatist.
Other backers include 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.
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 it as an R+6 district.
But while the outlet lists CD 13 as “likely Republican,” it is one of only three congressional races in Florida classified as competitive. The other two are listed as “likely Democrat” — Florida’s 9th Congressional District, represented by Darren Soto, and Florida’s 23rd Congressional District, represented by Jared Moskowitz. Both are incumbent Democrats not facing Primary challenges.
