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’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.

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 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.

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

US House of Representatives

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 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 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

that greatly affected Floridians and Americans all across this nation. I knew that we needed leadership in the United States that put country over party, and that’s why I made the decision to join the other party. I don’t regret the decision for one second, and the years since have only confirmed for me it was the right call.

For Crist: You voted to support the eviction moratorium during COVID, however the bill makes no provisions for landlords. What relief do you propose for landlords after the bill expires?

Crist: Congress needs to pass another relief package that helps everyone cope with the impact of the virus, including renters, landlords and small businesses. We are all in this together, and landlords cannot be expected to shoulder a disproportionate share of the pain.

For Crist: The Florida Chamber of Commerce has said that raising the minimum wage would hinder small business. If the voters pass Amendment 2, how will you work to support small businesses through this transition?

Crist: I support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. That higher wage will flow straight back into our economy, giving our wage workers more buying power to purchase the goods and services they need to care for themselves and their families. I’m a strong advocate for small businesses, and have fought to get them critical PPP funding during this epidemic. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, we need to do everything we can to help them get through these challenging times, and to support our wage workforce, who are also suffering.

For Crist: Healthcare premiums, even subsidized, are still not affordable for many in the state. In June you voted to expand the Affordable Care Act, but what will you do to lower premiums for citizens?

Crist: The best way to lower premiums for citizens is to improve and strengthen the Affordable Care Act – not repeal it. Health insurance should be affordable and accessible to all. I have voted in the House to protect the ACA and make premiums more affordable. I also support the addition of a public option to the ACA marketplace, because the key to keeping insurance rates low is competition, having plans compete to provide the best services at the best price. Repealing the Affordable Care Act, as President Trump and congressional Republicans continue to try to do, would throw over 20 million Americans off their health insurance, eliminate protections for those with preexisting conditions, and send our health care system into chaos.

It’s irresponsible, dangerous and wrong.

For Luna: You’ve stated you want to “lead the next generation in the fight against radical socialism.” What, by your definition, is “radical socialism” and how has it been legislated in the U.S.?

Luna: No response

For Luna: Why do you believe a lack of experience in politics makes you uniquely suited for it?

Luna: No response

For Luna: Recent polls have shown that a majority of Americans favor stricter gun control laws. You’ve called yourself “passionate” about the Second Amendment. Do you support any regulations on gun ownership, carrying and use?

Luna: No response

For Luna: If elected, do you believe that you have a responsibility to investigate allegations of Russian bounties on U.S. troops? Is the safety of U.S. troops a partisan issue?

Luna: No response

For Luna: You’ve stated that Florida’s economy – from tourism to small business – is tied to the health of our coastal landscape. What measures would you sponsor or support that would combat the coastal threat of sea level rise?

Luna: No response

Find out more about the election, including voting locations, mail-in ballots and more at votepinellas. com. Follow the Gabber’s ongoing elections coverage through November at thegabber.com/vote.