ABOVE: LGBTQ organizations endorse Charlie Crist for governor Sept. 14. Photo via the Crist campaign.
WILTON MANORS, Fla. | The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and political action committees for the Human Rights Campaign and SAVE endorsed Charlie Crist for governor Sept. 14, joining Equality Florida’s PAC in their support of the LGBTQ ally.
Representatives for each organization gathered in South Florida along with Crist to announce the endorsements. They detailed their ongoing efforts to mobilize LGBTQ and ally voters for the Nov. 8 general election.
As the nation’s largest civil rights organization working toward LGBTQ equality, HRC’s PAC alone is expected to reach 4.2 million Floridians. The organization called Governor Ron DeSantis “one of the most anti-LGBTQ+ politicians in America and an existential threat to every LGBTQ+ person in Florida.”
“The rights of millions of Floridians are being rolled back by him and an extremist minority of anti-equality judges and politicians attacking our families, our right to vote, and our right to access healthcare and make decisions about our own bodies,” HRC Interim President Joni Madison said in a statement.
“They are waging a brutal and coordinated campaign to roll back rights at a breakneck pace and won’t stop until Floridians show up at the ballot box and vote them out of office,” she continued. “The Human Rights Campaign is proud to endorse Rep. Charlie Crist for Governor of Florida and we’re looking forward to fighting alongside him and pro-equality champions across Florida to put an end to Ron DeSantis’s extremist agenda.”
The LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, which represents LGBTQ Floridians to the state’s Democratic Party, echoed HRC.
“The lives of LGBTQ+ Floridians are put further at risk each time that Ron DeSantis relentlessly attacks our community,” Caucus President Stephen Gaskill said. “We need a Governor who will undo the damage caused by DeSantis and who will put our state back on the path to full equality. Charlie Crist is the leader we can trust to protect and expand LGBTQ+ rights, and we are proud to endorse him.”
“The past few years have seen relentless attacks on LGBTQ children and families by the current governor,” SAVE Executive Director Orlando Gonzalez added. The group is billed as South Florida’s longest serving organization dedicated to protecting the LGBTQ community.
“It’s time for a change here in Florida and that change is Charlie Crist,” Gonzalez added. “SAVE Action PAC is proud to endorse Charlie, who has been and will continue to be a steadfast ally for all Floridians including LGBTQ people.”
The endorsements follow Equality Florida Action PAC’s, which announced their support for Crist Sept. 1. Senior Political Director Joe Saunders reiterated the organization’s support.
“LGBTQ Floridians know the stakes of this election — and are ready to elect Charlie Crist,” he said. “Ron DeSantis has waged war on the community, stoking anti-LGBTQ bigotry, making policies aimed at censoring our families from schools the cornerstone of his extremist agenda, and weaponizing state agencies against us, stripping transgender people of health care and assaulting nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ students.
“Pro-equality voters have borne the brunt of the anti-LGBTQ crusade of this governor and are now poised to be the difference in this election,” Saunders continued. “Charlie is a champion of LGBTQ equality and we are ready to send him back to the governor’s mansion to ensure every young person in our state is protected and every family is respected.”
Crist, who released his detailed plan to protect LGBTQ Floridians last month, welcomed the support. His Equality for All initiative prioritizes the health, safety and freedom of the community in what he’s said in a stark contrast to DeSantis’ attacks.
“I am beyond humbled by the outpouring of support from Human Rights Campaign, Equality FL Action PAC, SAVE and the statewide caucus in our fight to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor and bring kindness and compassion back to the Governor’s Mansion,” Crist responded.
“Ron DeSantis will stop at nothing to appease his extremist base, including attacking our LGBTQ neighbors’ hard-earned freedoms,” he continued. “Enough is enough. This November, we will put an end to his attacks on our communities once and for all.”
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The general election will be held Nov. 8. Check your registration and more at Vote.org. For more information about Charlie Crist’s campaign, visit CharlieCrist.com. Learn more about Equality Florida, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, Human Rights Campaign and SAVE at each link.
