U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg both scored good marks during last week’s Democratic presidential debates in South Florida–and now they are building more support in the Sunshine State.
This week, Harris reeled in the support of U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla. who has served in Congress since 2010 and, before that, served in both chambers of the Florida Legislature for more than a decade.
“Senator Harris is a lifelong public servant who has staked her career on those delivering results for those most often left out,” Wilson said. “She has the courage to confront this nation’s biggest challenges: protecting access to affordable healthcare, building a more inclusive economy, revitalizing public education and addressing climate change. In the Senate and on the debate stage, we saw what a real president should look like.”
Even before the debate last week, Buttigieg scored an endorsement in Florida from state Rep. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, who was the Democratic candidate for state CFO back in 2010. Ausley is now running for the state Senate in 2020.
“Looking forward to cheering on my friend Pete Buttigieg tonight,” Ausley posted on Twitter before her candidate took the debate stage. “Mayor Pete understands the unique challenges facing everyday people. It’s time for a new generation of leadership to unite us around our shared values. Proud to support Pete for president!”
After the debate, Buttigieg reeled in more endorsements in the Sunshine State. Florida Politics reported that the South Bend mayor has also won the backing of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky.
While former Vice President Joe Biden has led in the early polls of Florida, Harris has been moving up the national polls following her performance in last week’s debate.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
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