Mayor – Jane Castor
City Council District 1 – Craig Newman
City Council District 2 – John Godwin
City Council District 3 – John Dingfelder & Nicholas Glover
City Council District 4 – Bill Carlson
City Council District 5 – Ella Coffee
City Council District 6 – Guido Maniscalco
City Council District 7 – Luis Viera
2019 Winter Conference and Leadership Dinner
JUST ADDED: ANDREW GILLUM, NATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER AG COMMISSIONER NIKKI FRIED, FLORIDA KEYNOTE SPEAKER REP. CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH, LEGISLATIVE KEYNOTE SPEAKER REPS. JENNIFER WEBB & ANNA ESKAMANI, FEATURED SPEAKERS AT THE LEADERSHIP DINNER OF MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER: THE WINTER CONFERENCE FLORIDA LGBTA DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS CONFERENCE IS FEBRUARY 22-24 IN JACKSONVILLE Moving Forward Together: The Winter Conference […]
LGBTA Democratic Caucus Announces Legislative Report Card
Today, the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus unveiled our priorities for the 2018 Legislative Session, and announced we would provide letter grades to lawmakers. It’s the first time the Caucus is tracking legislative activity and rating lawmakers on their support of bills in the legislative process. Too many elected officials in the Legislature spend time advancing […]
RELEASE: LGBTA Caucus on Florida Sponsors of LGBT Elder Americans Act
The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus, representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Floridians, today commended Florida Members of Congress for cosponsoring HR 4222, The Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2017. Rep. Darren Soto (FL-9) today signed on as a cosponsor, joining Florida Reps. Charlie Crist (FL-13), Ted Deutch (FL-22), Lois Frankel (FL-21) and […]
The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus Responds to President Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops
The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus issued the following statement from President Terry Fleming on President Trump’s just-announced ban on transgender troops: “Once again, President Trump has displayed callous disregard for the lives of LGBTQ service members. As a Navy veteran, I am appalled at this action. The President received a medical deferment to avoid service […]
2019 Tampa Municipal Election Endorsements
February 15th, 2019 
Hillsborough County LGBTA Democratic Caucus 
Comments Off on 2019 Tampa Municipal Election Endorsements We’re joining the fight for MEDICAID EXPANSION in Florida!
January 29th, 2019 Capital Equality Democratic Caucus Comments Off on We’re joining the fight for MEDICAID EXPANSION in Florida! The Affordable Care Act gave states the opportunity to expand Medicaid to low-income adults and families — with the federal government footing most of the cost. Today, 34 states have opted to take this deal and have covered over 17 million Americans. Unfortunately, Florida has not.
We’re joining the campaign to take the question directly to Florida voters and ask them to vote on a ballot measure to expand Medicaid in 2020. Ballot measures have recently expanded Medicaid in states across the country: Maine, Nebraska, Utah, and Idaho – and it can work in Florida, too.
Click this link to learn more about the campaign or to sign up as a volunteer. Additionally, you may sign up to attend one of five upcoming volunteer training webinars.
Capital Equality: February Meeting with Commissioner Rick Minor
January 28th, 2019 Capital Equality Democratic Caucus Comments Off on Capital Equality: February Meeting with Commissioner Rick Minor Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor will address the Capital Equality Democratic Caucus during its February meeting. Commissioner Minor will discuss his priorities for Leon County, including District 3, and share his insights and experiences since being sworn in to office in November.
This meeting of the Capital Equality Democratic Caucus will be held on Wednesday, February 13, 2019, at 6:30pm, in Program Room A of the Leon County Downtown Public Library, Tallahassee, and is open to all Democrats.
Grab a friend and join us for an informative and entertaining session! We hope to see you there!
2019 Winter Conference and Leadership Dinner
January 19th, 2019 Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus Comments Off on 2019 Winter Conference and Leadership Dinner JUST ADDED: ANDREW GILLUM, NATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER
AG COMMISSIONER NIKKI FRIED, FLORIDA KEYNOTE SPEAKER
REP. CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH, LEGISLATIVE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
REPS. JENNIFER WEBB & ANNA ESKAMANI, FEATURED SPEAKERS
AT THE LEADERSHIP DINNER OF MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER: THE WINTER CONFERENCE
FLORIDA LGBTA DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS CONFERENCE IS FEBRUARY 22-24 IN JACKSONVILLE
Moving Forward Together: The Winter Conference of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus, is scheduled for February 22 through 24 in Jacksonville. This conference is all about the future — of our Caucus, our Party, and Florida. We’re featuring the next generation of leaders who are taking charge of our state to make it work for US.
Moving Forward Together has all the hallmarks of a Caucus conference: informative panels, provocative speakers, state and local elected officials, campaign training sessions, and terrific social events. We’ll also host a business meeting featuring elections for Caucus leadership for the next two years. The highlight of the weekend will be our Leadership Dinner with National Keynote Speaker Andrew Gillum, Florida Keynote Speaker Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Legislative Keynote Speaker State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith. Stars of the freshman class in Tallahassee State Reps. Jennifer Webb and Anna Eskamani will also address our dinner.
The UPDATED schedule follows, and will be updated as new speakers and sessions are added. Click the links below for conference registration, dinner tickets, and hotel reservations. Here’s what you need to know:
Conference registration is just $35 through February 15, and increases to $45 on February 16. Conference registration includes the Welcome Reception on Friday night; and Continental Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks throughout the conference day Saturday. (The Sunday Farewell Brunch is not included in the registration fee.)
Tickets for our Leadership Dinner are $60 through February 15, and increase to $75 on February 16.
We have a block of rooms available at our host hotel, the Lexington Hotel and Conference Center, located on the Jacksonville Riverwalk at 1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville 32207. Our room rate is just $119 per night, and includes parking. Our hotel room block closes Friday, February 15.
UPDATED SCHEDULE
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER: THE WINTER CONFERENCE
FLORIDA LGBTA DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
FEBRUARY 22-24, 2019
LEXINGTON HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER
JACKSONVILLE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Welcome Reception
Lobby Bar
Lexington Hotel and Conference Center
6:30pm to 8:30pm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Winter Conference
Lexington Hotel and Conference Center
8am to 9am
Continental Breakfast
Morning Session 9am to Noon
Welcome and Call to Order
- Terry Fleming, President, Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus
- Avery Blake Garner, President, Stonewall Democrats of Duval County
- Daniel Henry, Chair, Duval County Democratic Executive Committee
Panels/Speakers
- Curbing Violence for the Transgender Community: Opportunities and Challenges
- Training Session: Volunteer Recruitment and Mobilization, Lisa Peth, Florida Democratic Party
- State Rep. Shevrin Jones
- Georgia State Rep. Park Cannon: “Run As You Are”
- Scott Arceneaux, former Executive Director, Florida Democratic Party
12:15pm to 1:15pm
Lunch Speakers:
- Juan Penalosa, Executive Director, Florida Democratic Party
- Tommy Hazouri, Jacksonville Councilman, former Mayor and lead sponsor of the Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance
Afternoon Session 1:30pm to 5pm
1:30pm to 3pm
Intergenerational Panel Discussion on LGBTA Concerns
- Dan Merkan, Chair, Jacksonville Coalition for Equality
- Andrea Spencer, VP for Communications, ElderSource
- Rev. Linda Giroux, Riverside UCC
- Daniel Henry, Chair, Duval DEC
Legislative Update
3:15pm to 5pm
Caucus Membership Meeting
- Presentations
- Elections
5pm
Adjourn
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Cocktail Reception
Ballroom
Lexington Hotel and Conference Center
7:30pm to 9pm
Leadership Dinner
Ballroom
Lexington Hotel and Conference Center
Speakers:
- Andrew Gillum, National Keynote Speaker
- Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida Keynote Speaker
- Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, Legislative Keynote Speaker
- Rep. Jennifer Webb
- Rep. Anna Eskamani
- Terrie Rizzo, Chair, Florida Democratic Party
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24
10am to Noon
Farewell Brunch
Southern Grounds
Jacksonville
——
Conference Registration
Register for the conference by clicking this link.
Leadership Dinner Tickets
Purchase your individual or table tickets to the Leadership Dinner online.
Hotel Block
We have a block of rooms available at the host hotel, the Lexington Hotel, for $119 per night. Use this link to book your hotel room. The hotel is providing free parking.
We hope to see you! You won’t want to miss this energizing conference!
LGBTQ Legislative Outlook
January 3rd, 2019 Capital Equality Democratic Caucus Comments Off on LGBTQ Legislative Outlook We are gearing up for Florida’s Legislative Session that includes many new faces in the House and Senate and the first Democratic member of the Florida Cabinet in many years. Equality Florida’s Public Policy Director Jon Harris Maurer will share his insights on ways to get involved in Lobby Days, as well as providing updates on legislative goals, including advancing the Florida Competitive Workforce Act.
This meeting of the Capital Equality Democratic Caucus will be held on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, at 6:30pm, in Program Room A of the Leon County Downtown Public Library, Tallahassee, and is open to all Democrats.
Grab a friend and join us for an informative and entertaining session! We hope to see you there!
SAVE THE DATE! Winter Conference & Membership Meeting in Jacksonville
December 18th, 2018 Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus Comments Off on SAVE THE DATE! Winter Conference & Membership Meeting in Jacksonville Details are coming together now but we wanted to be sure you Save the Date for our Winter Conference, which is scheduled for February 22-24, 2019 in Jacksonville.
We’ll have more information to announce shortly, including hotel information and how to register, but you won’t want to miss this exciting and informative weekend that brings together LGBT leaders from around the state. Our Winter Conference will feature appearances from elected officials, presentations on current and emerging issues, and social activities to meet Florida and national activists.
We will also host a Membership Meeting on Saturday, February 23 during the Conference to elect Caucus leadership for the next two years. Caucus members: please plan to attend this important meeting during the weekend!
And FYI — our bylaws state that you must be a member of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus at least 45 days prior to the election. While we encourage you to join your local chapter, you MUST be a registered member of the Caucus to vote in this election. Here’s a link to join or renew your membership — do it today!
Be sure to mark your calendar, and be on the lookout for more information!
Capital Equality Holiday Social
December 12th, 2018 Capital Equality Democratic Caucus Comments Off on Capital Equality Holiday Social Join the Capital Equality Democratic Caucus as we celebrate the holiday season and the end of an active election year with cold drinks and delicious bites at one of our favorite local watering holes, Waterworks, 1133 Thomasviile Road, Tallahassee! The event begins at 6:30pm. Local Democratic leaders have been invited to celebrate with us!
LGBTQ Supportive Candidate Endorsements
October 16th, 2018 Capital Equality Democratic Caucus Comments Off on LGBTQ Supportive Candidate Endorsements The next meeting of the Capital Equality Democratic Caucus will be held on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at 6:30pm. At this very special meeting, members will be approving our slate of endorsed candidates in Leon County and Tallahassee Democratic races! Candidates seeking endorsement by the Caucus have been invited to attend.
Responses from candidates to our endorsement questionnaire have been posted to our website. Please take a moment to review these responses before Wednesday’s membership meeting.
Click here to view candidate responses.
The membership meeting will be held at Krewe de Gras, 1304 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, and is open to all Democrats.
Grab a friend and join us for an informative and entertaining session! We hope to see you there!
Its Time To Vote!
October 12th, 2018 Hillsborough County LGBTA Democratic Caucus Comments Off on Its Time To Vote! Here are our 2018 Palm Cards with the candidates we support and our stances on the Constitutional Amendments. Select the Amendments card to ready why we take the stance shown on them! You can sign up to Vote By Mail until October 31. Once you have filled out your ballot, signed and dated your envelope, and sent it in, you can track it here. Early Voting starts October 22 and goes until Nov 4 at these sites. You can also vote at your Polling Place on Election Day, November 6!
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! Here’s Our Full Endorsement List
October 5th, 2018 Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus Comments Off on VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! Here’s Our Full Endorsement List THE FLORIDA LGBTA DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS WANTS YOU TO #BRINGITHOME!
GAINESVILLE – The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus, representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to the Florida Democratic Party, is releasing its final list of endorsements for the 2018 general election. Our endorsed candidates are committed to supporting and fighting for equality for Florida’s LGBT residents. The Caucus has also taken positions on the Constitutional Amendments on the ballot.
“The momentum is on our side, the Blue Wave is real, and we’re ready to Bring It Home for the LGBT community and all Floridians,” said Terry Fleming, president of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus. “After two years of Donald Trump, eight years of Rick Scott, and 20 years of Republican rule in Tallahassee, voters want change that works for them, and not just the top one percent. Our endorsed candidates will do just that.”
Caucus members voted to support endorsed candidates and amendments during a series of membership meetings throughout the primary and general election process.
As a reminder, vote by mail ballots are already arriving, and the last day to register to vote is Tuesday, October 9.
Following are our endorsed candidates for statewide and federal offices, the Florida Legislature, and constitutional amendments.
Federal
US Senator Bill Nelson
CD-1: Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman
CD-3: Yvonne Hayes Hinson
CD-4: George “Ges” Selmont
CD-5: Rep. Al Lawson
CD-6: Nancy Soderberg
CD-7: Rep. Stephanie Murphy
CD-8: Sanjay Patel
CD-9: Rep. Darren Soto
CD-10: Rep. Val Demmings
CD-11: Dana Cottrell
CD-12: Chris Hunter
CD-13: Rep. Charlie Crist
CD-14: Rep. Kathy Castor
CD-15: Kristen Carlson
CD-16: David Shapiro
CD-18: Lauren Baer
CD-19: David Holden
CD-20: Rep. Alcee Hastings
CD-21: Rep. Lois Frankel
CD-22: Rep. Ted Deutch
CD-23: Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
CD-26: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
CD-27: Donna Shalala
State
Governor & Cabinet
Governor: Andrew Gillum
Attorney General: Sean Shaw
CFO: State Senator Jeremy Ring
Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Nikki Fried
State Legislature
Senate District 8: Kayser Enneking
Senate District 16: Amanda Murphy
Senate District 18: Janet Cruz
Senate District 20: Kathy Lewis
Senate District 22: Bob Doyel
Senate District 26: Catherine Price
Senate District 34: Gary Farmer House District 4: Rebecca Koelzer
House District 21: Jason Haesler
House District 28: Lee Mangold
House District 37: Tammy Garcia
House District 42: Barbara Cady
House District 47: Anna Eskamani
House District 49: Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith
House District 55: Audrey Asiuto
House District 59: Adam Hattersley
House District 60: Debra Bellanti
House District 61: Dianne “Ms Dee” Hart
House District 63: Fentrice Driskell
House District 66: Alex Heeren
House District 69: Jennifer Webb
House District 71: Tracy Pratt
House District 72: Margaret Good
House District 76: David Bogner
House District 78: Parisima Taeb
House District 89: James Bonfiglio
House District 93: Emma Collum
House District 97: Jared Moscowitz
House District 98: Michael Gottleib
House District 103: Cindy Polo
House District 105: Javier Estevez
House District 106: Sara McFadden
House District 115: Dr Jeffrey Solomon
House District 118: Robert Asencio
The Caucus SUPPORTS:
Amendment 3: Requires voter approval of casino gambling
Amendment 4: Restores voting right for felons who have served their time
Amendment 9: Bans offshore oil and gas drilling and vaping in enclosed indoor workplaces
Amendment 13: Prohibits betting on dog races
The Caucus OPPOSES:
Amendment 1: Grants an additional $25,000 homestead exemption for homes worth $125,000 or more
Amendment 2: Makes permanent what currently is a temporary cap of 10 percent on annual property value increases for vacation homes, apartments and commercial property, effectively limiting increases on tax bills. (2nd homes and commercial) property assessment increases permanent
Amendment 5: Requires 2/3 vote of legislature to impose or increase tax or fee instead of a simple majority
Amendment 6: Adds a Marsy’s Law (victims’ rights) to state constitution, increases judicial retirement age; prohibits judges from deferring to administrative agencies to interpret law
Amendment 7: Requires death benefits for first responders and military members, a supermajority vote for college fees, and adds state college system structure to constitution
Amendment 11: Repeals some obsolete language; repeals a provision saying that changes to a criminal statute are not retroactive
The Caucus took NO POSITION on:
Amendment 10: Prohibits counties from abolishing certain local offices, changes start date of legislative sessions, and adds an executive office and executive department to constitution
Amendment 12: Prohibits public officials from lobbying for compensation while in office and 6 years thereafter.
