Michele Rayner

Only two of the invited candidates for state Senate showed up at the forum Friday at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club. Monday, July 20, is the deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 18 primaries.

At this point, Fentrice Driskell’s Democratic opposition in District 16 is state Rep. Michele Rayner, of St. Petersburg, who announced her bid in December. Republican Amaro Lionheart is also running.

State Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, along with state Reps. Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando, Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, and Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, said they were not allowed to tour the facility off Tamiami Trail in the Everglades when they made a July 3 surprise visit.

The lawmakers said state officials flatly denied them entry to the immigration detention facility Thursday afternoon and later were given "vague safety concerns" without any specific details.

Hundreds of LGBTQ+ lawmakers feel as if they are under personal attack, and that they need to continually defend their community’s right to exist.

The Democrat joined Ben Diamond, who pulled out of the race last week and cited the state's new congressional map.

The Democrat, who was seeking Charlie Crist's open seat, said he will re-enter the race if the new congressional map is struck down in court.

The governor now has the power to appoint most agency heads, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The new law changes the process for several appointments that involve the Cabinet.

Host Steve Newborn talks with Senator Jeff Brandes, who serves most of southern Pinellas County, and Representative Michele Rayner, who serves parts of Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties.

Her "Clean Water Initiative" would require state officials to adopt "best management practices" for the use of fertilizers and pesticides on farms.

“If elected, I will be one of the first openly Queer Black women to serve in Congress," Rayner said.

Said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando: “I don’t care how many times you tell yourself this is about women’s sports and not LGBTQ rights or discrimination, because that is wrong,”