Lindsay Cross again attacks controversial state parks plan, uses it to amp up re-election campaign

Rep. Lindsay Cross continues to rally opposition to a proposed plan to build golf courses, pickleball courts, large-footprint lodges and frisbee golf courses in several Florida state parks.

This time, she’s campaigning on it.

In an email message to voters, Cross again reminds voters of the Department of Environmental Protection initiative, and celebrates at least a partial victory after the group behind the proposed golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park backed out amid massive pushback.

“But we can’t stop now,” she wrote. “We need to keep the pressure on and show the Governor that Floridians want to expand the state park system, not shrink it.”

At issue is a sweeping proposal that includes two 350-room park lodges, pickleball courts in seven parks, disc golf courses in five parks, new cabins in three parks, and the now-canceled golf complex at Jonathan Dickinson State Park on Florida’s southeast coast that would have required razing the existing boardwalk and observation tower.

Cross, an environmental scientist and a Democrat, previously penned a diplomatically written complaint about the plans, noting that the “changes are inconsistent with the mission of Florida State Parks” and calling for additional oversight into the proposal.

Now, she’s reminding voters that she’ll fight to ensure environmental protection remains a priority in Tallahassee.

“There are 175 state parks in Florida, but with our growing population we need more parks for our neighbors and our wildlife,” Cross wrote in the email blast, encouraging individuals to attend a meeting that occurred Tuesday at Honeymoon Island State Park regarding the plans.

Then she went into campaign mode.

“But most importantly, we need to elect environmental champions back to Tallahassee to send the message that these types of proposals have no support in Florida,” she wrote. “And with Republicans and polluters planning to spend over a million dollars to defeat me, I need your support.”

Cross, who represents the St. Petersburg-based House District 60, is running for re-election against Republican Ed Montanari. Her race is one of the most, if not the most, competitive House races in Florida this cycle.

While HD 60 remains a blue district, voter registration trends have been going in the GOP’s favor in recent years.

A look at historic voter registration data for the district available on the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections website shows that in 2020, the last Presidential Election year, Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 7 percentage points. As of May 1, that advantage has shrunk to just under 3 percentage points, according to a recent analysis of trends by Florida Politics Publisher Peter Schorsch.

But results from an internal poll showed Cross maintaining a double-digit lead over Montanari, at 50% support to 38% support among likely HD 60 voters.

Cross’ email included a link to donate to her campaign, with the call to action indicating that it would be a show of “support for state parks.”

A series of public meetings are happening at potentially impacted state parks across the state Tuesday, signaling more news may yet come on the issue.