Engage Y’All endorses Democrats running in flippable seats

After Democrats have overperformed in a series of Special Elections one Democratic PAC feels Florida has the talent to find wider success in November.

Engage Y’All just announced endorsements of two Florida congressional candidates and 16 others running for legislative seats, along with a handful of local candidates. The PAC could make a difference this year after building substantial resources in a Panhandle Special Election last year.

The PAC endorsed 22 candidates in total, including Pia Dandiya in the open Florida’s 22nd Congressional District race and Nicole Locklin in a challenge to Republican U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart in Florida’s 26th Congressional District.

Other endorsements include Florida Senate candidates Lauren Donahoo in Senate District 2, now held by Republican state Sen. Corey Simon, and Ashley Gantt in Senate District 34, a seat that opened as Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones runs for Congress.

In House races, the PAC endorsed Jane Aman in House District 37, Lucai Baez-Geller in House District 106, Darryl Block in House District 36, Daniel Cicirelli in House District 31, Kyandra Darling in House District 62, Michelle DeJesus in House District 38, Jared Fox in House District 39, Eric Gray in House District 35, August Mangeney in House District 93, Justin Mendoza-Routt in House District 113, May Thach in House District 61, John Taylor in House District 109, Samuel Vilchez Santiago in House District 43 and Ingrid Wadsworth in House District 2. All but three of those are currently GOP-held seats.

“These endorsements are a testament to the leaders across the state who are rising to meet this moment for the people they seek to represent,” reads an email from Katherine Jackson, Senior Communications Advisor for the PAC.

The PAC additionally Palm Coast City Council candidate Dee Galery, St. Petersburg City Council candidate Linsey Grove, Orange County School Board candidate Susanne Peña, and Polk County School Board Member Victor Sims.

The endorsements included 59% women, 50% people of color, and 86% members of the millennial and Generation Z demographics.

The PAC was originally launched last year by Democratic congressional candidate Gay Valimont after she ran against now-U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis in a Special Election in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. While Patronis won nearly 57% of the vote in that race, Valimont significantly topped her own performance a few months before against the prior incumbent, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Valimont is challenging Patronis again this year.

The goal of the PAC has been to convince Democrats they can still compete in districts many consider out of reach for the blue team. Already, the PAC has helped state Rep. Emily Gregory, a Palm Beach County Democrat, and state Sen. Brian Nathan, a Tampa Democrat, flip seats to Democratic control this year. The group also helped Democrat Eileen Higgins win the race for Miami Mayor.