Purple is my favorite colour but people tell me I look best in blue. They don't say I look good, they just say I look best. I think I look best in a blue state and I think it’s possible that Florida could become one. No, this isn't one of those things like how I think it's possible that I am a tall thin blonde with long legs. There are some great candidates running in Florida and their chances look good.
To start with Alan Grayson is running for Senator. Pretty damn good start. Oh sure, some people say he’s a lunatic but to paraphrase Billy Joel “He just may be the lunatic we’re looking for”. He is the progressive candidate and is polling ahead of his opponent in the primaries.
For Congress, Ed Emery is running in the 3rd. This seat was held by a Democrat for 10 years until the Republican Incumbent won in 2012 and again in 2014. Gosh, what could have happened to effect this change? Oh, yeah, redistricting in 2011.
In the 9th district there are 2 candidates running in the Democratic Primary; Susannah Randolph and State Senator Darren Soto. Susannah Randolph is the progressive candidate here, but hey, they’re both Democrats. This is the seat currently held by Alan Grayson and before his 2 terms it was held by Republicans so I guess redistricting works both ways...on rare occasions. Interesting piece on redistricting here.
In the 10th district there are 3 Democratic candidates running in the primary. In a very particular order: Bob Poe, State Senator Geraldine Thompson, and Chief Val Demings. Bob Poe is a bit of a big wig in the Democratic Party, he is definitely the big money guy in the race, but I like him. He seems very passionate about Democratic ideals. There is a bit of a to do because he is a white guy running in a historically black district, I don’t think a Republican can ever win here. Bob Poe is a white guy but he’s openly gay and his husband is black, so maybe not your average white guy..
Geraldine Thompson is married to Emerson R. Thompson, Jr. who was a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office before becoming the first African American judge in Orange County. Geraldine Thompson was a classroom teacher with a Masters Degree, before becoming an administrator and director of equal opportunity programs at Valencia College. (And I guess you’d have to know me to know that I think a classroom teacher is a much more important position than a judge.) As a state Senator she has accomplished a lot.
Val Demings is a police chief and the Party’s pick, having been endorsed by Nancy Pelosi and Emily’s list. (I'm trying not to hold that against her but I'm not a fan of Emily's List).
The Florida 11th Congressional District has Dave Koller running. I have a soft spot for him because, like me, he is a C-Span junkie. He’s running against Republican Daniel Webster, the incumbent from the 10th CD. Webster switched districts because he knew he had no chance of winning the 10th.
The 13th has Governor Charlie Crist running and yeah, yeah, I know, he used to be a Republican, but to be fair, so did some people here on DK. (Not me!) And he wasn’t the kind of Republican who met the President by sticking a finger in his face, he met President Obama with an embrace.
In Florida’s CD 17 April Freeman is running. She’s a kind of sort of progressive and I think has an interesting life story that would affect her work in Congress in a positive way.
Florida’s CD 18 has Jonathan Chane , a Jewish Community Activist, running. This is considered a battleground district. There are 2 or 3 Democrats running and about eleventy-five Republicans. Jonathan Chane is not the establishments pick for a candidate and that is a huge plus in my book.
Tim Canova is running in Florida’s CD 23. A progressive lawyer with experience in Washington, he is our guy. Trust me on this one, HE IS OUR GUY!
Florida’s CD 25 has Alina Valdes, MD running. Dr. Valdes, a Cuban born immigrant is the kind of doctor we'd all like to have, especially the kind poor people would like to have — an advocate. She’s worked on several political campaigns. She is a progressive candidate.
And finally, for now, at least, Florida’s CD 26 has Annette Taddeo running. She has some endorsements that make me nervous but Blue America Pac also endorsed her and that’s good enough for me.
The thing that all of these candidates have in common is that they are supporters of 90for90, the voter advocacy movement started to honor Dr. Ferguson Reid, the first black man to be elected to the VA legislature since Reconstruction. He was focused on registering voters back then and he hasn't stopped.
The Florida Democratic Party is also a supporter of 90for90. This is all part of the reason why I want the Florida Blues, they make me look best, and I think it’s possible.
Tracy B Ann — everything I write, including, but not limited to, my name, belongs solely to me.