Florida Rising Supports 17 additional Statewide Candidates within 12 Counties
FLORIDA– After the merger of New Florida Majority and Organize Florida in January of 2021, the new statewide organization, Florida Rising, is announcing its second round of endorsements in the 2022 Midterms.
In past years, the organization has been influential in state and national level races. In 2018, the organizations’ field campaigns were critical to winning Amendment 4 and bringing the Governor and Senate races to recounts and a margin of less than a percent. In 2020, the organization was part of efforts that knocked on 1.3 million doors and activated a large-scale virtual organizing program that made 18.1 million phone calls and sent 6.3 million texts, resulting in conversations with 1,240,415 voters that helped turn out over 300,000 first-time voters and catalyze historic voter mobilization. Our endorsed candidates won in 95 out of 132 races.
This year, the organization prioritized the issues foremost on Floridians’ minds: housing, jobs, schools, criminal systems reform, reproductive rights, and a plan to take action on the climate emergency that make up the pillars of the Justice on Every Block campaign.
Among the esteemed list of 17 additional candidates across 12 counties that Florida Rising are endorsing is former State Attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit, Aramis Ayala, Senator Annette Taddeo, and several school board races.
The organization plans a multi-tiered voter outreach strategy to change leadership up and down the ballot including paid ads, door-to-door canvassing, and a series of cultural events for which the legacy organizations have become known.
Andrea Cristina Mercado, Executive Director of Florida Rising, explains:
“We are proud to endorse candidates who are committed to putting Floridians first. The cost of rent is too high and the state’s GOP is doing nothing about it. The threat of climate chaos is too real and the state’s GOP is creating roadblocks to clean energy. The state we live in is beautiful and diverse and Florida’s GOP is banning Black history and books, and attacking LGBTQ+families and teachers.
Our current leadership does not represent the people of Florida, the Florida GOP represents its corporate interests and the career ambitions of the Governor. Thankfully so many people are stepping into the political process at every level of government. Our state is known to be a battleground and those endorsed represent many of those who are stepping up to reclaim democracy and represent the actual needs of our communities and our school districts.
The stakes have never been higher to get involved and get people who care about our communities into office, we are proud to back them with this endorsement today and the work we plan to do in the months ahead.”
The final list of endorsements are below:
Florida Rising Round 2 Endorsements
Former State Attorney, Aramis Ayala – FL Attorney General
Former House Representative, Adam Hattersley – FL Chief Financial Officer
Sen. Annette Taddeo – FL Congressional District 27
Rep. Dotie Joseph – FL State House Dist. 108
SCHOOL DISTRICT ENDORSEMENTS:
Elizabeth Andersen – Duval County District 2
Dr. Keesha Benson – Pinellas County District 3
Brian Martin – Pinellas County District 6
Caprice Edmond – Pinellas County District 7
Karen Perez – Hillsborough County District 6
Kristine Kraus – Seminole County District 1
Autumn Garick – Seminole County District 5
Teresa “Terry” Castillo – Osceola County District 1
Maria Salamanca -Orange County 2
Kila Murphey – Orange County District 3
Marcia Andrews – Palm Beach County District 6
Dorothy Bendross-Mindigall – Miami Dade School Board 2
Maribel Balbin – Miami-Dade County District 4