It's down to the wire in the Florida State Senate district between Judithanne McLauchlan (D-Parent, Teacher) and Jeff Brandes (R-"Mostly False"). I've known Judithanne for years, and I contributed to her campaign months ago. I moved out of the Tampa Area four months ago, and I'm supporting her, because she speaks the truth and has her opponent running scared.
Now it's your turn: you can use the Act Blue page for Judithanne I set up, or you can contribute on her campaign site.
Judithanne is an associate professor at the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus. Her field: political science. Her research specialty: amicus briefs. She's been a Fulbright scholar in Moldova, worked on Jeanne Shaheen's 2002 campaign (among many others), and met her now-husband while working on a campaign.
As SemDem pointed out last Monday, she's someone you can cheer for:
At a time when academics and scientists are being attacked, it's nice to see a professor fight back.
Judithanne McLauchlan was ranked one of the top 25 professors in Florida while working at the University of South Florida. She has worked in every branch of government, including the Clinton White House, and has all the political saviness required as a former state party field director.
She has served on the board for one of my favorite organizations: the League of Women Voters. (This group has been at the forefront in our battle against voter suppression in this state; and is also responsible for the successful challenge of the gerrymandered legislative maps.) Judithanne has been a fixture on television because of her knowledge of the hot-button issues, and has written a book that explores how members of Congress try to influence Supreme Court decision making.
Imagine. Someone serving in our State Senate who knows how government works AND has the people's best interests at heart.
An
article in today's Tampa Bay Times shows exactly the type of dirt that her opponent Senator Jeff Brandes has on her:
1. A quarter century ago, she filed bankruptcy because of medical bills. (Brandes is the only member of the Florida State Senate who voted against expanding Medicaid.)
2. She belongs to the League of Women Voters.
For this, despite raising three times as much as Judithanne, her opponent has called in the state GOP for an ad PolitiFact called "Mostly False". He's running scared. He should be.
I'm supporting Judithanne. Won't you, here or here?