After a session in Tallahassee, state Rep. Michele Rayner sets her eyes on Washington
State Rep. Michele Rayner, a member of Manatee County’s state legislative delegation, is entering the race to represent Florida’s 13th Congressional District in Washington.
Rayner, who won her first election to the Florida House of Representatives in 2020, announced her candidacy Monday morning with one legislative session under her belt. In a press release, she said that session was enough to show her that the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature would only continue to block her legislation.
“Despite our best efforts, Democratic attempts to provide economic relief, racial justice, and public safety for the people of Florida have been stymied time and time again by far-right, partisan Republicans in Florida’s legislature,” Rayner said. “The systemic nature of the issues we are facing had me looking at where I can make the most impactful changes.”
“As a state representative, I’ve spoken truth to power and I’ll continue standing up to Republicans who try to bully us into submission because here in Florida, there’s just too much on the line,” she added in a campaign announcement video.
The seat representing the 13th Congressional District, which currently encompasses most of Pinellas County, may see boundary updates after the Legislature redraws the boundaries using updated data from the U.S. Census in 2022. Regardless of those changes, the seat is sure to see a new face next year.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, who holds the seat now, recently launched a bid for the Democratic nomination for governor. According to the Florida Division of Elections, at least two other candidates have filed paperwork to run the seat — Democrat Christian Hotchkiss and Libertarian Frank Craft. State Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg, has also announced he will run for the FL-13 seat.
Rayner currently represents Florida House District 70, a sprawling district that runs from Hillsborough County all the way to Sarasota. Before winning her election, Rayner served as a civil rights attorney and was involved in the Stand Your Ground case that resulted in a conviction against Michael Drejka, who shot and killed a Black man after an argument over a parking space.
“I was taught from a young age to always do good, to strive to serve others, and to serve my community,” Rayner said. “That’s why I became a public defender, that’s why I became a civil rights attorney, and I have been honored to continue this path of public service as a state representative.”
“This is a critical moment both in our nation’s — and in our state’s — history. It not only demands that all people have full access to their civil and human rights, but equally as important have access to quality public education, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and economic opportunity,” she continued.
This story was originally published June 14, 2021 at 3:24 PM.
