Walt McNeil provides backup to Amanda Marie Green in open CD 2 race

Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil is making clear which Democrat he supports in the fight to flip retiring U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn’s seat.

The Tallahassee Democrat is endorsing Amanda Marie Green, a longtime foreign aid consultant who had filed to challenge Dunn in Florida’s 2nd Congressional District.

He said Green’s work with a nongovernmental organization interfacing with the U.S. Agency for International Development would be valuable in representing the region in Congress. She worked for more than nine years at Chemonics International, a Washington-based firm focused on sustainability solutions.

“Amanda led the budgeting process for the USAID program responsible for addressing some of the toughest hunger and famine challenges in the world,” McNeil said.

“I’m impressed by her hands-on experience and her proven ability to deliver results. She has the skillset we need to tackle hunger and affordability right here in our district.”

He said the humanitarian work also would be vital right now, suggesting the priorities of the Republican-led Congress didn’t address the biggest social problems facing the nation, including rural areas around the Panhandle.

“When we address hunger and poverty, we are also addressing and preventing crime,” he said. “We need a war on poverty, not the impoverished. Amanda understands that. She’s committed to working with communities in Leon County and across the rural, fiscally constrained parts of this district that have been left behind. People here aren’t asking for a handout, they’re asking for a fair shot and a hand up.”

Green welcomed the backing of the top law enforcement officer in the congressional district’s most populous county.

“Sheriff McNeil has dedicated his life to serving and protecting our communities,” Green said. “I’m humbled and honored to have his support and mentorship. I look forward to working with Sheriff McNeil and the dedicated leaders in our community who are committed to building a stronger, more secure, and more affordable future for every family in Florida’s 2nd Congressional District.”

Green adds McNeil’s support to endorsements from former U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd and his wife, Jeannie Boyd.

She is one of three Democrats filed for the open congressional seat, along with lawyer Yen Bailey and tech entrepreneur Nic Zateslo. McNeil said Green stood out from the field.

“Amanda is the only candidate I’ve heard who has a real, actionable plan to address these issues in our district,” McNeil said.

“She understands that solving hunger and lowering costs for working families requires both urgency and expertise — and she brings both to the table. I look forward to working with Amanda to support our community’s most vulnerable.”