In a series of tweets posted this week, former Florida Department of Health data analyst Rebekah Jones hints at a potential run for Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
“Florida’s 13th. What do you think?” Jones wrote. “Ok. So I have two more conversations I need to have with some friends in Florida politics, then I’ll be able to state — some — of that news I’m holding onto. hah.”
Jones told Florida Politics she has no comment regarding a congressional run, but confirmed she is not eyeing a gubernatorial campaign.
“I’m focusing my future on finding ways to help progressive candidates with commitments to making science-based policy decisions win elections,” Jones wrote in an email to Florida Politics. “Whether that’s campaigning with other strong candidates or becoming a candidate myself depends on where I decide to live and the viable candidates with campaigns already in motion.”
“Government ethics, namely transparency and accountability, remains my top priority, and I’m not afraid of primarying a Democratic incumbent not committed to those principles.”
Jones drew national attention last summer after she was fired from the Florida Department of Health, and then accused the state of trying to make her post misleading data to reduce public fear of the coronavirus crisis. Gov. Ron DeSantis responded, denying that and accusing her of being unqualified and insubordinate.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted a search of her home after an investigation allegedly linked her address to a November message sent on an internal Department of Health multi-user account. But, Jones has contended she did not send the message.
Now, Jones is in the midst of a civil lawsuit, filed in December, that argues FDLE agents violated her First Amendment rights and due-process rights by conducting an unlawful search and seizure when they searched her home and hauled away computer equipment back in December.
That case has now been moved to a federal court.
If Jones runs for CD 13, she’ll be up against notable challengers.
The Pinellas County seat is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, who is running for Governor. Two candidates have already entered the race — Democrat Eric Lynn, who served as a national security advisor to former President Barack Obama, and Republican Anna Paulina Luna, a media personality and veteran who ran an unsuccessful campaign against Crist last year.
“I have been asked to consider a number of potential offices, including the House, Senate, local office, etc,” Jones told Florida Politics. “I’ve thought a lot about where I can do the most amount of good using the platform I have and the reputation I’ve built as being an honest and empathetic scientist unafraid of challenging powerful autocrats like DeSantis. I’ll follow my heart and consider what is best for the people I would be representing before announcing any final decisions.”
This article first appeared at Florida Politics.
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This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2021.
