Democratic Senator Darryl Rouson, the District 19 incumbent, is a well-respected community leader who easily advanced to the General Election and faces only NPA candidate Christina Paylan in his bid for reelection. Paylan, a surgeon without prior experience in elected office, has emphasized criminal justice reform on her platform, while overusing (and misusing) the #justiceforbreonnataylor hashtag on Twitter. In a candidate interview with Florida Politics, Paylan named Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL–1) as an individual in the state government who inspires her. If you ask us, Rouson—even though he voted to pass Florida toll road expansion through untouched Florida and seems friendly to letting predatory lenders like Amscot run amok in poor neighborhoods—is still the best candidate to continue advocating for improvements within the district. We recommend reelecting Sen. Darryl Rouson for the Florida Senate.
Florida Senate District 20: Kathy Lewis
Motivational speaker, businesswoman, and disability rights advocate Kathy Lewis for Florida’s 20th Senate District was first inspired to run for elected office in 2018 after experiencing for herself the challenges of getting disability care for her adult daughter. This time around, Lewis faces Republican Danny Burgess with renewed drive on a platform that includes: expanding Florida’s Medicaid and Medicaid programs under the ACA, ending gun violence, fighting for an $18 minimum living wage, investing in public education, and improving Florida’s emergency response and preparedness. Burgess, who has over a decade of experience in elected office and most recently stepped down from his role as executive director of the state’s Department of Veteran Affairs, offers a vague and unexciting platform, with the exception of his expressed desire to address the high suicide rate among veterans. We recommend voting Kathy Lewis for Florida Senate District 20.
Florida Senate District 21: Tony Eldon
Twenty-three year old activist, business owner, and public school teacher Tony Eldon entered the race for Florida’s 21st Senate District just last month, after former Democratic nominee Amanda Linton—who had qualified for the general election—announced her decision to relocate due to COVID-19. Even with this late start, Eldon has garnered the support of the local Democratic Party—as a candidate chosen by Manatee and Hillsborough County party leadership to replace Linton—for his campaign against Republican Jim Boyd, who previously served in the Florida House from 2010-2018. Eldon, who uses his popular BLKThought Instagram page to educate followers on Black history and politics, would offer a youthful and fresh perspective to the Florida Senate on a platform of criminal justice reform, expanding healthcare, and increased funding for education. We recommend voting for Tony Eldon for Florida Senate District 21.
See all of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s 2020 recommendations here.
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This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2020.