Hillary Clinton rolls out Florida support

BY PATRICIA MAZZEI

Miami Herald

Hillary Clinton has lined up more than 150 elected officials and community leaders in Florida to promote her 2016 presidential candidacy.

Her campaign said late Monday it has launched a "Florida Leadership Council" to organize events and volunteers ahead of the March 15 state primary. The group includes U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, the only Democrat elected statewide, and state Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, whose district includes parts of Bradenton and Palmetto.

Clinton's state support includes Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant as well as every Florida Democratic member of Congress except Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, and Rep. Gwen Graham of Tallahassee. Her father, former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, is on Clinton's list.

So are eight state senators and 28 state representatives, and the mayors of Tampa and Orlando and, in South Florida, of North Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Hallandale Beach, Weston and Wilton Manors. Clinton's team also includes county commissioners, school board members, city council members, former elected officials, activists and fundraisers.

"I have known Hillary for decades, dating back to her time with the Children's Defense Fund," U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings of Delray Beach said in a statement. "In this capacity, I came to know her as a smart and driven advocate, whose thoughtfulness and deliberation helped to advance justice and the rule of law in a time when African Americans and women struggled daily to attain the freedom and equality enshrined in our constitution."

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 7:43 AM with the headline "Hillary Clinton rolls out Florida support ."