Ashley Brundage with supporters at The Blind Goat in Tampa, Florida on Aug. 20, 2024. Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
It’s no secret that Republicans hold a supermajority in Tallahassee (84-36 in the House; 28-12 in the Senate). That imbalance makes it hard to stop horrendous policies (read: insurance) and the smoldering culture wars, but there is hope for some kind of headway against a reckless and often feckless GOP.

Yes, the gulf between parties means the ability to reach across the aisle is important—just look at the don’t-call-them-reparations-bill Sen. Darryl Rouson was able to get for the victims at the Dozier School.

But it’s imperative to celebrate and re-elect smart and effective incumbents (Reps. Lindsay Cross, Michelle Rayner, Dianne Hart, Fentrice Driskell), and uplift challengers (Ashley Brundage, Nathan Bruemmer) whose aspirations are only eclipsed by their promise to bring more sensible, human policymaking than what’s being offered by incumbents who seek to demonize our neighbors instead of bringing them together.

State Senate

District 21
Ed Hooper (REP)
Doris H. Carroll (DEM)

District 23
Danny Burgess (REP)
Ben Braver (DEM)
John Houman (IND)

State Representative

District 57
Adam C. Anderson (REP)
Kelly Johnson (DEM)
Robert “Bob” Arthur Larrivee (NPA)

District 58
Kimberly “Kim” Berfield (REP)
Bryan Beckman (DEM)

District 59
Berny Jacques (REP)
Dawn Douglas (DEM)

District 60
Ed Montanari (REP)
Lindsay Cross (DEM)

District 61
Linda Chaney (REP)
Nathan Bruemmer (DEM)

District 62
Nelson Amador (REP)
Michele K. Rayner (DEM)

District 63
Dianne Hart (DEM)
Tim Driver (REP)

District 64
Susan L. Valdes (DEM)
Maura Cruz Lanz (REP)

District 65
Karen Gonzalez-Pittman (REP)
Ashley Brundage (DEM)

District 66
Traci Koster (REP)
Nick Clemente (DEM)

District 67
Fentrice Driskell (DEM)
Ronrico ‘Rico’ Smith (REP)

District 68
Lawrence McClure (REP)
Lisa Carpus (DEM)
Tyrell Hicks (NPA)

District 69
Daniel ‘Danny’ Alvarez (REP)
Bobby Kachelries (DEM)

District 70
Michael Owen (REP)
Luther Keith Wilkins (DEM)

District 71
Will Robinson (REP)
Adriaan J. DeVilliers (DEM)

See all of CL’s ballot recommendations on our 2024 general election landing page.

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This article appears in Oct 17-23, 2024.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...