Lindsay Polega-Quigley launches HD 60 bid with Lindsay Cross’ endorsement

Democrat Lindsay Polega-Quigley has launched a campaign for House District 60 just hours after Rep. Lindsay Cross announced she would not seek re-election to the seat.

Cross’ decision opens a competitive seat that Democrats will be working to hold in 2026. But Polega-Quigley is entering the race with support from Cross.

“Serving Florida House District 60 for the last four years has been the honor of a lifetime. I’m proud to endorse Lindsay Polega-Quigley for this seat and know that she will fight hard for the people of District 60,” Cross said. 

“Lindsay’s dedication to her community has been evident through her pro-bono legal work, serving some of the most vulnerable members of our community. I’m confident that with her in Tallahassee, Pinellas will continue to have a leader that will tackle the affordability crisis head-on, and champion issues like water quality and flooding that are so important to the Tampa Bay region.”  

Polega-Quigley said her campaign will focus on affordable living and “a clean and healthy environment where Pinellas families can work hard to build a good life.”

“I’m running for the Florida House because too many Pinellas families are working harder than ever and still falling behind,” Polega-Quigley said. “The cost of housing, insurance, healthcare, childcare, education, and everyday necessities continues to rise while politicians in Tallahassee put special interests and culture war distractions ahead of the people they serve.” 

The campaign described Polega-Quigley as a self-made professional who worked a variety of jobs while putting herself through school before earning a spot at Stetson Law. 

After graduating, she stayed in the community and has worked on issues involving construction, insurance and legal disputes — experience her campaign says has shown her how “Florida families struggle with rising insurance costs, housing costs, and healthcare expenses while politicians focused on special interests instead of solutions.” 

Cross, who was first elected in 2022 and could have served two more terms before reaching term limits, said earlier Thursday that she will not run for re-election even though she could have served two more terms before reaching term limits.

Cross’ departure opens the race, likely drawing interest from Republicans while Democrats look for someone to succeed her. She was re-elected to her seat in November, earning 54% of the vote after a tough challenge from former St. Pete City Council Member Ed Montanari. 

Democrats maintain a small voter registration edge in HD 60, outnumbering Republicans by fewer than 1,000 voters out of more than 108,000. That makes it likely to court resources from both parties, especially with no incumbent running.

Polega-Quigley’s campaign said she plans to announce additional community support in the coming days.