Main Menu

Teachers Endorse Cruz for Florida Senate

Janet Cruz | Politics | Elections

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

TAMPA – The Florida Education Association, which represents the state’s teachers and school support personnel, announced its endorsement of House Minority Leader Janet Cruz in the race for Florida Senate District 18, one of the most watched and most competitive swing districts in the state.

“Rep. Janet Cruz has been a tireless champion for our educators, students, and parents,” said Joanne McCall, president of the FEA. “While Republicans, including Sen. Dana Young, voted to underfund public education, undercut teachers, and emphasize testing over teaching, teachers have always been able to count on Rep. Cruz.”

Cruz said, “I’m honored to receive this support from our educators. Because of the failed leadership in Tallahassee, Hillsborough County schools are having to cut teachers, including bilingual classroom aides, and can’t even afford to repair air conditioning in certain schools — while brand new for-profit schools are being funded and built with tax dollars that should be going to our public schools. It’s unacceptable. Tallahassee has to change. We need more teaching, less testing, higher teacher pay, and lawmakers who show up, just like educators and school staff do every single day without fail.”

Cruz, a Democrat, is running against incumbent Republican Dana Young for the SD 18 seat. SD 18 includes the western portion of Hillsborough County, including a section of Tampa.

Cruz is a fourth-generation Tampa resident. Before running for office, Cruz was 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.

She was elected to the state House of Representatives in February 2010 by special election. In February 2015, Cruz was unanimously elected as the Leader Designate of the House Democratic Caucus for the 2016-2018 term.

Cruz said she is running for the Florida Senate as a champion for public education, affordable quality health care, and an economy that works for everyone.

The primary is Aug. 28. The general election is Nov. 6.

For information about Cruz, go to janetcruz2018.com.

Janet Cruz | Florida Senate | Politics | Elections | Endorsements | Tampabay News

#JanetCruz #FloridaSenate #Politics #Elections #Endorsements #TampabayNews