President Joe Biden upended the 2024 presidential election July 21, announcing he would no longer seek a second term. He subsequently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination, whose campaign went on to raise a record $81 million in just 24 hours.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” he shared in a letter, something he reiterated July 24 during an Oval Office address. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to … focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”
The Democrat’s decision followed weeks of speculation after his performance in the first presidential debate as well as the Republican National Convention. The party formally selected Donald Trump as their nominee July 18 along with the former president’s 2024 running mate, J.D. Vance.
Each has a history of enacting or supporting anti-LGBTQ+ policies and procedures, many of which were amplified at the RNC. The convention took place after more than 500 explicitly anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures across the country this year — largely supported by the Republicans in attendance — including over 10 in Florida.
It’s why Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Kristen Browde, whose organization advocates for LGBTQ+ Floridians to the Florida Democratic Party, says Democrats are better suited than Republicans to represent the community’s interests.
“It isn’t a close call,” she explains. “All you have to do is look at the openly anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that has emerged from the Republican-dominated state legislature and has been signed into law by DeSantis,” she says of Florida’s governor, who spoke at the RNC. “Republicans have ignored reality, ignored science and have ignored the rights and the needs of LGBTQ+ Floridians.”
The Log Cabin Republicans of Orlando disagree. The Central Florida group is a chapter of the national organization representing “LGBT conservatives and straight allies who support fairness, freedom and equality for all Americans.”
“Florida Republicans have a strong track of producing strong, energetic, freedom-loving candidates up and down the ballot who have energized voters and turned our state red,” they told Watermark via email. “This November, voters will have the chance yet again to vote for candidates who will fight for the Constitution and represent ALL of their constituents.”
The nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization disagrees. The Human Rights Campaign’s latest Congressional Scorecard, which measures support for equality in D.C., gave Florida’s U.S. senators a 0% for their efforts to represent LGBTQ+ Floridians. In the U.S. House, Republican scores went no higher than 38%.
LCR Orlando also advises that the “Republican Party not only respects the fundamental rights and liberties of LGBT Americans, but will deliver results on other important issues that LGBT voters care about, including the economy, the border, crime, national security, energy and foreign policy.”
As of press time, the group did not respond to Watermark’s requests for comment on Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws, each enacted by its Republican supermajority. Browde, however, maintains a clear message on the matter.
“Don’t vote for candidates who would hurt the ones you love,” she says. “That means if there’s an ‘R’ next to the name, don’t even think of voting for them.”
It’s a matter echoed by Harris’ campaign for president, which has garnered support from civil rights organizations across the country. Among other reasons, they’ve cited the Biden-Harris administration’s years of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Both the president and vice president have called for the passage of the Equality Act, which would amend the Civil Rights Act to protect LGBTQ+ Americans. Democrats have lacked the full congressional control required to send the measure to the president’s desk.
The administration also recently expanded Title IX provisions to protect LGBTQ+ students from discrimination in schools, a matter explicitly condemned in the Republican Party’s 2024 platform. The expansion is also facing legal challenges from Republican-led states like Florida.
Biden and Harris also strongly oppose Project 2025, the anti-LGBTQ+ Heritage Foundation’s presidential plan. It was drafted by Trump’s longtime allies and former administration officials in the “conservative think tank,” which has advocated against marriage equality and more. The administration has said the plan would eliminate civil rights and embolden discrimination.
It’s all part of why there has “never been a more important time to elect Democrats to Congress,” Browde says. “We’ve seen what Republican control of any branch of government brings: the reversal of progress towards equality. The only thing that will stop them is the election of a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress.”
Democrats stress doing so will reshape the American landscape to be more equitable, allowing for the passage of the Equality Act and other inclusive laws. The party has pledged to restore reproductive rights after the conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and more.
It’s a process that begins with Florida’s primary, when registered Republicans will choose Republican candidates and registered Democrats will choose Democratic candidates to advance to November’s general election. Regardless of their party affiliation, all registered voters can vote on local issues and nonpartisan contests.
The process is already underway, with mail ballots having been sent to voters who requested them. Those who wish to vote in person can do so on Election Day Aug. 20 or during the state’s early voting period Aug. 10-17.
That’s why Watermark reached out to over 60 congressional candidates in Central Florida and Tampa Bay for our 2024 primary coverage. We asked them four questions — one open-ended about why LGBTQ+ and ally readers should support their candidacy and three yes or no questions about their support for LGBTQ+ issues. View them in full below.
We received 17 responses from Democrats, 3 from Republicans and 4 from other parties, including those without an affiliation. Their answers follow, edited for length and clarity. If their response was unclear or wasn’t provided, an asterisks is included in lieu of a yes or no.
Florida’s primary election is Aug. 20 preceded by early voting.
For information about local races, your polling location, voter registration and more, visit Vote.org or contact your local Supervisor of Elections at MyFloridaElections.com/Contact-Your-SOE.
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