FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2022

WILTON MANORS, FL – Today, alongside Equality Florida Action PAC, Human Rights Campaign PAC, and SAVE Action PAC, the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus has endorsed equality champion Charlie Crist for Governor of Florida. Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement on the endorsement:

“The lives of LGBTQ+ Floridians are put further at risk each time that Ron DeSantis relentlessly attacks our community. We need a Governor who will undo the damage caused by DeSantis and who will put our state back on the path to full equality. Charlie Crist is the leader we can trust to protect and expand LGBTQ+ rights, and we are proud to endorse him.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 24, 2022

DELRAY BEACH — The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus congratulates its endorsed candidates who won their primaries yesterday. The Caucus endorsed in specific races, and echoed several endorsements that came from our chapters. Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement:

“Florida Democrats are on the offensive this cycle. We’re taking on the Republicans for their poor management of state government, neglect of key economic issues like the property insurance crisis, support for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and fealty to authoritarians like Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump. 2022 will be a Democratic success.”

Caucus Campaign Director Dave Cutler congratulated the candidates:

“Congratulations to our endorsed candidates who won their primaries yesterday. These candidates have demonstrated their commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and have earned voters’ trust. We look forward to helping ensure their victories in November.”

Among our victorious endorsed candidates with primaries are:

Statewide Candidates

Val Demings, US Senate
Aramis Ayala, Attorney General

Congressional Incumbents

Rep. Kathy Castor
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Rep. Frederica Wilson
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Congressional Challengers/Open Seats

CD-3 Danielle Hawk
CD-10 Maxwell Frost
CD-23 Jared Moskowitz
CD-27 Annette Taddeo
CD-28 Robert Asencio

Florida Senate Candidates

SD-5 Tracie Davis
SD-34 Shevrin Jones
SD-35 Lauren Book

Florida House Candidates

HD-13 Angie Nixon
HD-22 Brandon Peters
HD-36 Deborah Poulalion
HD-38 Sarah Henry
HD-40 LaVon Bracy Davi
HD-58 Bernard Fensterwald
HD-62 Michele Rayner
HD-92 Kelly Skidmore
HD-98 Paula Hawkins-Williams
HD-105 Marie Woodson
HD-106 Jordan Leonard
HD-109 Ashley Gantt
HD-113 AJ D’Amico
HD-119 Gabriel Gonzalez

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The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Floridians to the Florida Democratic Party. The Caucus is a statewide organization with chapters in 25 counties across Florida from Pensacola to Orlando to Miami – including most major metropolitan areas and many rural counties in between.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 4, 2022

ANDREW WARREN WAS SUSPENDED FOR HIS SUPPORT OF TRANSGENDER FLORIDIANS

TAMPA — Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren was suspended by Governor Ron DeSantis for his support of transgender Floridians, and his support for abortion rights. Exhibit A of the executive order suspending Warren is a joint statement he signed with more than 70 elected prosecutors and organizations pledging “not to promote the criminalization of gender-affirming health care or transgender people.”

The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus made the following statements in response.

Stephen Gaskill, President, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus:

“Ron DeSantis is fixated on the LGBTQ+ community. His main goal is not protecting vulnerable Floridians from danger, but rather trying to erase us from public life. His suspension of Andrew Warren for his support of the trans community is another despicable act more in line with authoritarian ideals than with the concepts of American democracy. Our message to Ron DeSantis is simple: You cannot eliminate our community and you cannot intimidate our supporters and allies. The bigger enemy you make us, the smaller you get.”

Robin Witt, Vice President, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus:

“The government has no place making medical decisions for children, transgender or otherwise. State Attorney Andrew Warren pledged to use his judgment within the purview of his authority to protect the rights of parents and children to make their own medical decisions and Gov. DeSantis is punishing him for it. DeSantis’ discriminatory targeting of transgender people and executive overreach into the lives of Floridians are nothing short of tyrannical. I encourage everyone who is disgusted by Warren’s suspension and DeSantis’ cowardly leadership to make their voices heard now and in November.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2022

Nikki Fried Receives 65% of Vote for Gubernatorial Endorsement, Does Not Reach Threshold for Official Endorsement

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – At Without You We Lose, the 2022 Summer Conference of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, and on the same weekend of the Florida Republican Sunshine Summit across the county, caucus membership voted on its next round of cabinet, congressional, and state legislative endorsements. The caucus bylaws require a 2/3 vote of members present and casting a vote for an endorsement to be approved.

After the voting process, membership voted to make the following endorsements:

Congressional

• Congresswoman Val Demings – US Senate
• Danielle Nicole Hawk – U.S. House, District 3\
• No Endorsement – U.S. House, District 8
• Maxwell Alejandro Frost – U.S. House, District 10
• Andrea Doria Kale – Congress, District 17
• Annette Taddeo – Congress District 27
• Robert Asencio – Congress District 28

Cabinet

• Aramis Ayala – Attorney General
• Ryan Morales – Commissioner of Agriculture

Legislative

• Curtis John Tucker – State House, District 85

Gubernatorial

• Nikki Fried – 65.8%
• Charlie Crist – 34.2%
• 66.6% Required, No Endorsement Made

Congressional District 23
The caucus membership voted to co-endorse in the CD-23 race:

• Ben Sorensen
• Jared Moskowitz

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement on the Caucus’ endorsements:

“There was a clear contrast of visions in Broward County this weekend. While Republicans promote despicable culture wars and ignore the skyrocketing cost of living in Florida, the candidates we endorsed today will fight for LGBTQ+ equality and focus on the pocketbook economic issues that will improve the lives of all Floridians.”

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Campaign Director Dave Cutler highlighted the Caucus’s commitment to winning:

“We endorse candidates who believe in full equality for LGBTQ+ Floridians, and these candidates demonstrate that commitment. Our community is energized, and our members are ready to work as hard as we can to ensure equality champions win in August and November. With LGBTQ+ lives at stake, none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2022

DELRAY BEACH, FL – Today the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus is announcing its first round of endorsements for the 2022 election. After a careful review of statements, support, and records, the Caucus membership voted to make the following endorsements:

Congressional Incumbents

• Rep. Al Lawson – District 2
• Rep. Darren Soto – District 9
• Rep. Kathy Castor – District 14
• Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick – District 20
• Rep. Lois Frankel – District 22
• Rep. Frederica Wilson – District 24
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz – District 25

Challenger Candidates Without Primaries

• Kimberly Walker – U.S. House, District 12
• Eric Lynn – U.S. House, District 13
• Jan Schneider – U.S. House, District 16
• Dr. Cindy Banyai – U.S. House, District 19
• Christine Alexandria Olivo – U.S. House, District 26
• Adam Hattersley – CFO
• Eunic Ortiz, State Senate – District 18
• John Navarra, State House – District 28
• Lindsay Cross, State House – District 60
• Janet Varnell Warwick – State House, District 61
• Forest Blanton, State House – District 84

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement on the Caucus’ endorsements:

“At a time when the LGBTQ+ community is facing a relentless onslaught of hateful attacks from Republicans, it is critical that we elect leaders who will fight for LGBTQ+ equality at all levels of government. We urge voters to elect these candidates because without you, we lose. LGBTQ+ lives and families are hanging in the balance.”

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Campaign Director Dave Cutler highlighted the Caucus’s commitment to winning:

“We are proud to endorse these candidates, incumbents and challengers both, who have demonstrated a commitment to full equality for LGBTQ+ Floridians. We look forward to assisting them in their campaigns in whatever way we can and encourage voters to elect them.”

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The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Floridians to the Florida Democratic Party. The Caucus is a statewide organization with chapters in 25 counties across Florida from Pensacola to Orlando to Miami – including most major metropolitan areas and many rural counties in between.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2022

Convention features homophobic and transphobic far-right elected officials and speakers preaching hate and bigotry

TAMPA, FL – Florida’s LGBTQ+ Democrats, elected officials and candidates will rally in opposition to the national convention of Moms for Liberty in Tampa on Friday, July 15 at 4pm. The Moms for Liberty convention coincides with the Florida Democratic Party’s Leadership Blue, and both events are being held at the JW Marriott in downtown Tampa. The focus of the rally is to highlight Moms for Liberty’s radical and discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ agenda, which has been enacted by Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida and is being replicated in other states with Republican governors. Moms for Liberty aims to erase LGBTQ+ people from public life, and LGBTQ+ Democrats are fighting back.

WHAT
Rally in opposition to the Moms for Liberty national convention

WHO
LGBTQ+ Leaders, Elected Officials and Candidates
Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith
Sally Phillips, President, Hillsborough County LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus
Stephen Gaskill, President, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus

WHEN
Friday, July 15
4pm

WHERE
Dick Greco Plaza
505 Water Street
Downtown Tampa (across from the JW Marriott)

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The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Floridians to the Florida Democratic Party. The Caucus is a statewide organization with chapters in 25 counties across Florida from Pensacola to Orlando to Miami – including most major metropolitan areas and many rural counties in between.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 5, 2022

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and its Broward and Palm Beach County chapters, the Dolphin Democrats and Rusty Gordon LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus of Palm Beach County, will host a candidate forum for Congressional District 23 on Wednesday, July 6 at 7pm. The forum will be hosted by Steve Bousquet, opinion editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and will occur at the Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors.

Participating are Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Ben Sorenson, Hava Holzhauer, and Allen Ellison. The forum will address a range of issues impacting CD-23, Florida, and the nation.

“This congressional district has a large number of LGBTQ+ voters in it, and whoever wins will be in the seat as long as they want to run for reelection,” said Stephen Gaskill, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus. “Our community deserves to hear directly from the candidates about their plans and platforms.”

This event is open press.

WHAT:
Candidate forum for Congressional District 23

WHO:
Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Ben Sorenson
Hava Holzhauer
Allen Ellison
Steve Bousquet, moderator

WHEN:
Wednesday, July 6
7pm

WHERE:
The Pride Center at Equality Park
2040 N. Dixie Hwy.
Wilton Manors FL 33305

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