Florida Democrat Michele Rayner-Goolsby, who would have been Florida’s first out U.S. representative, suspended her campaign for Congress yesterday. She appears to be one of the victims of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s heavy hand in Florida’s redistricting process. Rayner will now seek reelection to her seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Rayner was one of America’s strongest voices in opposition to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ initiative and many other LGBTQ+ issues. Here was her announcement. (Watch this)
Rayner was to the point on her belief that Governor DeSantis, running for reelection in November and one of the top GOP presidential candidates floated for 2024 is homophobic, racist and partisan to win an election to the point of being illegal.
Of great significance, Rayner was a leading candidate for the US congressional seat of Charlie Crist, who is running for governor against Ron DeSantis. Joe Biden won Crist’s district by four percentage points even though former President Donald Trump won Florida. DeSantis vetoed a map drawn by the Florida legislature and then pressured lawmakers to pass a map his staff drew. That changed Crist's seat from a Biden district to one Trump won by seven percentage points. This then split Rayner’s home base in St Petersburg into two districts. The black community in St Petersburg is split under the new map. A Florida judge ruled that DeSantis’s map be thrown out as unconstitutional for diminishing the ability of Black voters to elect candidates of their choice. The state is appealing the decision.
But regardless, because of the proximity of Florida’s August primary — candidates for Congress must qualify by noon on June 17 — the courts are only considering throwing out selected districts and time will essentially run out for Rayner.
Political observers today are discussing the fate of Rayner and other diversity candidates and what they will face in the redistricting that the Governor is defending. It likely could have dramatic consequences on the midterm elections this November in both Florida and in Washington.
Closer to her home, Rayner did announce she still intends to run for office. She was elected to the Florida legislature in 2020. She now intends to seek reelection to the Florida legislature in her House district, which was also redrawn this year but remains safely Democratic.
To discuss these dramatic changes and the issues being faced we welcome Florida’s first out queer black woman state representative, Michele Rayner
