Five LGBTQ+ Democrats advance after winning Florida primaries
Five LGBTQ+ Democrats advanced in Florida primaries (Getty Images, stock)
Florida voters delivered a series of wins for out LGBTQ+ candidates Tuesday (18 August), with five out Democrats advancing in races for the Florida House as LGBTQ+-backed candidates also made gains in school board contests across the state.
The five candidates, Jane Aman, Felipe Sousa Lazaballet, Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Luis Salazar and Todd Delmay, were among the candidates endorsed by Equality Florida, whose political arm reported that 81 percent of its endorsed candidates won their races.
Equality Florida Action PAC celebrated the results as a sign that voters are pushing back against the state’s increasingly conservative political landscape.
“Last night, Florida voters roared,” said Joe Saunders, executive director of Equality Florida Action PAC, in a 19 August statement. “Communities are fighting back against book bans, curriculum censorship, and the whitewashing of history. Voters, from the US Senate and Governor’s races to school boards and state legislative contests, chose pro-equality champions. And we are primed to shatter the conservative supermajorities in the legislature in November.”
The results extend beyond the five LGBTQ+ Democrats. Equality Florida-backed candidates also picked up several victories in nonpartisan school board races, including Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry, who defeated Conservativecandidates in Sarasota County, while another Equality Florida-backed candidate, Jimmy Glover, advanced to a November runoff.
In Orange County, Angie Gallo unseated school board member Alicia Farrant, who had been associated with Moms for Liberty and was a close ally of outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Ten Florida school board members who were elected with Moms for Liberty endorsements have also opted not to seek another term this year, according to Equality Florida, including co-founder Bridget Ziegler. In total, four of the 15 candidates formally endorsed by Moms for Liberty this year lost outright, while four more advanced to November runoffs.
With five out Democrats now advancing toward Florida House seats, the state’s LGBTQ+ representation on the ballot is continuing to grow. The November elections will now determine how many ultimately take their seats in Tallahassee.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
