Janet Cruz is running for the District 18 seat in the state Senate.

TAMPA – Janet Cruz has scored two more endorsements in her run for the District 18 seat in the Florida Senate.

EMILY’s List, which focuses igniting change by electing pro-choice Democratic women, and the Latino Victory Fund, a progressive political action committee that works to elect Latinos to office in all levels of government, have both given Cruz a nod.

“Janet Cruz is a proven defender of Tampa families against special interests and has fought to fully fund public schools,” said Geri Prado, senior director of state and local campaigns at EMILY’s List. “EMILY’s List is proud to endorse Janet for state Senate where she will continue to advocate for access to safe, quality public education, affordable health care, and commonsense gun legislation.”

The Latino Victory Fund’s endorsement of Cruz is part of its ongoing “Year of the Latina” campaign, a groundbreaking effort to elect a record number of progressive Latinas this November. Cristóbal J. Alex, president of the Fund, said Cruz is one of the “prime examples of the fearless Latina leadership that will move Florida forward.”

Cruz, he said, has demonstrated a commitment to making state government work for hardworking Florida families and “will be a formidable defense against special interests in the State Senate and will do right by Floridians.”

Cruz said, “I could not be more proud to have the endorsement of the Latino Victory Fund. I will continue to be a strong voice for our Latino community and a leader who will always stand up for public education, fight for commonsense gun safety reforms, and work to protect our environment for generations to come. We are closer than ever to parity in the state Senate and Latino Victory’s support is a reflection of how important this race is, both in Florida and nationally. The fight for our national identity has never been more urgent than it is at this moment.”

Cruz was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2010 and served as the Florida House Minority Leader for the 2016-2018 term. She was recognized for her legislative service by the Community Health Charities of Florida, the Florida Health Care Association, the American Cancer Society, and the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation.

Before running for office, Cruz was an optician and later the director of Optical Operations for Cigna Healthcare, as well as being active in her community as a volunteer for Paint Your Heart Out Tampa, a member of the Hillsborough Community College Alumni Foundation, and Corporate Chair of Cigna Healthcare for the United Way Campaign.

Democrat Cruz is running for the District 18 seat in the state Senate, which is currently held by Republican Dana Young. District 18 runs from South Tampa to northwest Hillsborough County.

Neither Cruz nor Young has a party opponent so this race will not be on the Aug. 28 ballot. It will be on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

For information about Cruz, go to janetcruz2018.com.

Janet Cruz | EMILY’s List | Latino Victory Fund | Politics | Elections | Tampabay News

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