Vote 2020: Florida 13th District Congressional Candidates By Laura Mulrooney
As part of the Gabber’s election coverage, we’re reviewing lesserknown races to help voters make a more informed choice in November. In this issue, we take a closer look at District 13 Congressional candidates. The Gabber asked each candidate questions compiled by our editorial staff. Answers have been edited for style. Read more of the Gabber’s election coverage at thegabber.com/vote. Learn more about the November 3 elections at votepinellas.com.
Florida 13th District Congressional Candidates
Anna Paulina Luna (Rep) – Luna is a U.S. Air Force veteran who vows to fight government corruption, defend the Second Amendment, reform immigration and push back against socialism. Luna moved to the area in 2019. Editor’s note: Repeated attempts to reach candidate Anna Paulina Luna were ignored; she did not respond to our questions. If the current balance of power remains the same in the House and Senate, how do you anticipate accomplishing your agenda? Crist: I’ve been able to deliver for Florida and Pinellas County, working in a bipartisan fashion to support our veterans, protect our environment, and
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Luna: No response Do you support the U.S. Post Office? Do you believe voting by mail is a safe process?
US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Florida’s 13th Congressional District includes St. Petersburg and Clearwater in the Tampa Bay area. Members of Congress represent the people of their district in the U.S. House of Representatives by holding hearings while developing and voting on legislation. All bills must pass Congress before the President can sign them into law. Charlie Crist (Dem) – Crist currently represents District 13. He was previously the Governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and the Attorney General of Florida from 2003 to 2007.
promote greater civility in Congress. Just to name a few wins, my bill expanding and strengthening Veterans Treatment Courts, to give non-violent Veterans counseling and support services instead of jail time, was signed into law by President Trump. I brought home $24 million in funding to combat red tide, a scourge for our beach communities. And at my behest we’ve significantly expanded funding for community development financial institutions who provide loans to invest in low income communities, largely through women and minority owned businesses. I’m looking forward to building on this success next Congress, hopefully with the help of President Biden and a Democratic-led Senate.
have been doing it in large numbers successfully for decades. Quite frankly, we’re probably the gold standard for it nationwide. And heck, even President Trump, who has repeatedly disparaged vote-by-mail, votes by mail in Florida! There is zero evidence of widespread vote-by-mail fraud. As I said, we’ve been doing it for decades in Florida with no major problems. Luna: No response For Crist: Your opponent in this election has stated that “career politicians” allow “profiting off the government.” You have been in politics since 1992, holding office in the state senate, as governor and as a congressman, among other positions. What are your thoughts on “career politicians”? Crist: I believe in public service. It’s a calling. There are other things I could do that would be much more financially rewarding, but for me, helping people, being their advocate, is the most rewarding. And experience is important, critical even, when serving in higher office. As our state’s Commissioner of Education, Attorney General, and then Governor, I bring a wealth of lived experience to Congress. I’ve lived almost my entire life in Pinellas County. It’s home, and it gives me perspective, having seen how much we’ve grown and developed as a community. It’s hard to imagine how someone with no ties to the area, no real depth of understanding of our community, could serve us in Congress. For Crist: There is a deep partisan divide in the U.S., with seemingly little common ground. How do you explain your decision, in 2012, to switch parties?
Crist: I strongly support the U.S. Post Office. The men and women of the USPS have been on the front lines of this crisis, ensuring Americans get life-saving medicines, food and goods during these incredibly challenging times – putting their personal safety at risk in the process. They are heroes in my book. And I strongly support vote-bymail. It’s safe, secure, and Floridians
Crist: I grew up in a Republican household, and we embraced the party of Ronald Reagan. I didn’t leave the Republican Party – the Republican Party left me. The party has been hijacked by the extreme right. In 2012, Florida was still recovering from the worst environmental disaster in our nation’s history, when a ruptured well spilled nearly five million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. America was recovering from an economic recession
theGabber.com | October 22 - October 28, 2020
