Leading Pro-Immigrant Organization Backs Crist As Best Candidate to Fight for Florida’s Immigrant Communities
[ST. PETERSBURG] – Today, Charlie Crist’s campaign announced that Florida Immigrant Coalition Votes (FLIC Votes), a grassroots, statewide coalition of more than 65 member organizations dedicated to the fair treatment of all people, including immigrants, has endorsed Charlie Crist to be the next governor of Florida.
Florida Immigrant Coalition Votes’s endorsement follows Crist’s ongoing fight on behalf of Florida’s immigrant families, including unveiling his “Office for New Floridians” plan, a strategy to support those who come to call Florida home, in the first few months of his campaign for governor.
“I’m honored to earn the endorsement of Florida Immigrant Coalition Votes, a beacon of kindness and champion for the fundamental rights and fairness of all people,” said Charlie Crist. “As the grandson of Greek immigrants, this endorsement holds a special place in my heart. Like my grandparents, so many Floridians have come to call Florida home in search of opportunity and the American Dream. It’s simple, all people deserve to be treated fairly and with respect. Our current governor doesn’t understand that. That’s why come November, we are going to flip Florida blue.”
FLIC Endorsement
“FLIC Votes celebrates the endorsement of Congressman Crist as the future Governor of Florida,” said Tessa Petit, Co-Executive Director of FLIC Votes. “We are confident that Congressman Crist is the champion who will fight for the people of this state and bring the change needed against the hateful anti-immigrant and divisive rhetoric that is pitting Floridian against Floridian. We are done with politicians who put their political ambitions in front of our well-being and spend our state’s funds on culture wars meant to distract from the real issues. All Floridians, whether born here or arrived later, need safety from the rampant gun violence epidemic, relief from unaffordable housing and predatory landlords, a reliable plan to protect us and our state from the effects of climate change, like the extreme heat we are facing, access to affordable healthcare, and a high quality education that does not erase our history, nor divide our people. We are confident in our support for Charlie Crist, in his dedication to the well-being of our communities, and look forward to getting our community’s vote out for the Congressman.”
Champion For Everyday People
“Few candidates know Florida like Charlie does,” said David Metellus, Director of Policy and Politics for FLIC Votes. “His work in recent years as a Congressman and history of being a champion for everyday people is clear, his resume shows a breadth of knowledge quite like no other. The people of Florida, native-born and immigrant, deserve a candidate who knows them, sees them and cares about their needs. When Congressman Crist shared his immigration story with us, even though he himself is not an immigrant, we knew that this is a man who sees our people through the plight of his own grandfather, a Greek immigrant. Our communities have been scapegoated, vilified and dehumanized by our current governor, that’s why we are so proud to endorse a man who sees the humanity and worth in everyone.”
The Florida Immigrant Coalition Votes’s endorsement comes as Crist solidifies his status as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary with over $14 million raised, endorsements from over 170 community leaders and elected officials, and as the only Democratic candidate with support from educators and union workers and the only Democratic candidate to earn the endorsement of five major statewide newspapers.
