Support for Statewide Candidates, Federal and State Legislative Candidates
Membership Threshold Not Met on Gubernatorial Race
GAINESVILLE — The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus, representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to the Florida Democratic Party, announces its full list of endorsements for the August 28th primary election. Caucus membership voted on these endorsements at our Summer Conference in West Palm Beach on Saturday, July 28, and includes candidates and Constitutional amendments. The announcement was held to notify candidates.
In the state’s most watched election — for governor — no candidate received the required two-thirds vote of eligible voting members participating to receive the endorsement. Utilizing a successive voting process whereby the candidate with the least amount of votes was eliminated each round, the final two candidates were Andrew Gillum and Gwen Graham. Neither secured the two-thirds threshold to win endorsement.
Following is the full list of endorsed candidates this cycle:
Endorsed July 28, 2018:
Federal
CD-6: Nancy Soderberg
CD-7: Rep. Stephanie Murphy
CD-10: Rep. Val Demings
CD-12: Chris Hunter
CD-16: David Shapiro
CD-19: David Holden
CD-20: Rep. Alcee Hastings
Gubernatorial & Cabinet
Governor: No Endorsement
Attorney General: Sean Shaw
CFO: State Senator Jeremy Ring
Commissioner of Agriculture: No Endorsement
Legislative
House District 55: Audrey Asciutto
House District 89: James Bonfiglio
House District 115: Dr Jeffrey Solomon
House District 106: Sara McFadden
Previously endorsed and already announced:
Federal
US Senator Bill Nelson
CD-3: Yvonne Hayes Hinson
CD-5: Rep. Al Lawson
CD-8: Sanjay Patel
CD-9: Rep. Darren Soto
CD-13: Rep. Charlie Crist
CD-15: Andrew Learned
CD-17: April Freeman
CD-18: Lauren Baer
CD-22: Rep. Ted Deutch
CD-23: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
CD-27: State Representative David Richardson
State
House District 28: Lee Mangold
House District 37: Tammy Garcia
House District 49: Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith
In addition, the state Caucus endorsed candidates recommended by local chapters. These include:
Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County
Senate District 8: Kayser Enneking
House District 21: Amol Jethwani
School Board: Rob Hyatt
School Board: Tina Certain
Dolphin Democrats (Broward County)
Senate District 34: Gary Farmer
House District 92: Paulette Armstead
House District 93: Emma Collum
House District 96: Saima Farooqui
House District 97: Jared Moscowitz
House District 98: Andrew Dolberg
House District 105: Javier Estevez
Hillsborough County LGBTA Democratic Caucus
House District 59: Adam Hattersley
House District 60: Debra Bellanti
House District 63: Fentrice Driskell
Commissioner District 4: Andrew Davis Hillsborough
Lee County LGBTQA Democratic Caucus
House District 76: David Bogner
House District 78: Parisima Taeb
School District Seat 4: Debbie Jordan
Fort Myers City Council Seat 4: Christopher Pierce
Pasco LGBTA Democratic Caucus
County Commission District 2: Kelly Smith
County Commission District 4: Brandi Geoit
Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County
Senate District 16: Amanda Murphy
House District 66: Alex Heeren
House District 69: Jennifer Webb
County Commission District 6: Amy Kedron
School Board District 6: Matt Stewart
Rainbow Ridge LGBTA Democratic Caucus of Polk County
Senate District 22: Bob Doyel
Senate District 26: Catherine Price
House District 42: Barbara Cady
County Commission District 4: Karen Cooper Welzel
School Board District 3: Sarah Fortney
Constitutional amendment positions approved by membership on July 28, 2018 are listed below. The Caucus had voted earlier to support Amendment 4, the Voter Restoration for Felons Initiative.
The Caucus SUPPORTS:
Amendment 3: Requires voter approval of casino gambling
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 8: Establishes school board term limits; allows state to operate non-board established schools; requires civic literacy
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.
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August 3rd, 2018 
Capital Equality Democratic Caucus 
