Women’s Leadership at Highest Levels of Government is Needed Now More Than Ever
Tampa, FL. — Ruth’s List Florida Action, the state’s only organization dedicated to electing pro-choice, Democratic women in Florida, today congratulated Agriculture Commissioner, Nikki Fried, for declaring her candidacy in the Florida Governor’s race. Commissioner Fried is the first Democratic woman to enter the race for Florida’s top office.
“We are excited to see women like Commissioner Fried stepping up to run for office at the highest levels,” said Lucy Sedgwick, CEO of Ruth’s List Florida Action. “Given the grave challenges and inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more imperative that we get behind women leaders. We know that women are the best champions for our communities, and we are working to change the political landscape in Florida by electing women to all levels of public office.”
Research shows that women govern differently than men. Women tend to be more collaborative and bipartisan, which means they solve problems more quickly and efficiently, and they advance more policies that support women, children, social welfare, working families, and the environment. While women make up 51% of the population in Florida, only 34% of the state legislature is female. Florida is one of 20 states that has never had a woman serve as Governor.
In 2018, Ruth’s List endorsed Nikki Fried and ran an expansive voter outreach effort on her behalf in her successful race for Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner. She is currently the only woman to hold statewide office in the state of Florida, and the first Democratic woman elected to statewide office since 2011.
While the organization has yet to make a candidate endorsement in the Governor’s race at this time, Sedgwick is encouraged by Fried’s candidacy. “Anytime we see a woman step up to run for office, it shows change is coming. She’s the change.”
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Ruth’s List Florida is the only organization dedicated to electing Democratic, pro-choice women up and down the ballot in Florida. Since 2008, Ruth’s List Florida has raised more than $5,000,000 for Democratic women candidates, trained more than 2,100 women, and elected nearly 200 women to state and local office.
