2020 Election Voter Guide: Tampa Bay Congressional Races Heat Up

TAMPA BAY, FL — In races from Pinellas County to the much-contested Interstate 4 corridor in Polk County, Tampa Bay voters will have an opportunity to choose four U.S. Congressional members in what's become known as America's battleground for swing voters.

District 15

Among them, Republicans will attempt to maintain their grip on the congressional District 15 seat encompassing west Polk County and eastern Hillsborough County. District 15 is traditionally Republican turf. However, well-known Democrat Alan Cohn is hoping to turn the district from red to blue.

The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep Ross Spano, R-Riverview, who lost his bid for re-election in the August primary by less than 1,500 votes against Lakeland City Commissioner Scott Franklin.

Franklin graduated of the United States Naval Academy and served as a naval aviator. He holds a master's of business administration degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

As a U.S. Congressman, Franklin said he would advance the agenda of President Donald Trump to "Keep America Great" including supporting the construction of a wall to keep U.S. borders secure and fight to keep taxes down.

"As a commissioner for the city of Lakeland, I never voted for a tax increase and fought to cut wasteful government spending," he said. "I will bring that same approach to Washington where taxes and spending are completely out of control."

Cohn is a former television reporter, investigative journalist and creator of AMC Productions. He won a Peabody Award for his three-year investigation of quality control issues at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., which was under contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Cohn ran for the District 15 in 2014 but lost to incumbent Dennis Ross. His priority issues are health care, climate change and increasing the minimum wage.o wants more affordable health care and would like to see Congress make its middle class tax cut permanent.

Health care is at the top of his priority list.

"Health care is a human right, and we must make sure every person in this country has affordable healthcare," Cohn said. "Right now that is not happening because our health care system is broken. Too many Americans don’t have health insurance and the ones that do, can’t afford it. Not only do exorbitant health care costs force people from getting the care they need, it often forces them into lower quality health care plans, or completely off insurance all together."

District 14

While Democrats try to turn District 15 blue, Republicans are looking to turn the longtime Democratic District 14 seat red. Held by incumbent Kathy Castor since 2007, the seat includes parts of Hillsborough County and a small portion of Pinellas County.

Castor describes herself as a champion for jobs and economic recovery, focusing on issues like fighting for tax cuts for the middle class, raising the minimum wage, increasing the number of Pell grants for students, improving access to health care and protecting the environment.

"Georgetown University Center for Children and Families’ newly released annual report shows 55,000 kids in Florida lost health insurance from 2016 to 2019," said Castor. "That’s a lot children. Troubling roadblocks to health care for Florida kids is growing due to the GOP-controlled state’s failure to expand Medicaid, the Trump administration's sabotage of the Affordable Care Act and cuts to outreach. We must turn this around."

Republican Christine Y. Quinn is hoping to unseat Castor. Quinn lives in Tampa and owns and operates My Family's Seasonings, a food manufacturing business in Pinellas County. She unsuccessfully ran against Castor in 2016.

A staunch Second Amendment proponent, she opposes many of the mandates put in place that she said restricts the freedom of Americans to choose.

"I know I’ll get heat for saying this but sometimes the truth hurts," she said. "Wearing a mask is just un-American. The CDC report admitted masks don't work. Why are we still wearing them?"

District 13

Florida's 13th congressional district was reassigned to Pinellas County in 2013 and includes St. Petersburg, Largo, and Clearwater.

It's been held by Democrat Charlie Crist since 2017. Crist began his political career as a Republican, serving in the Florida Senate from 1993 to 1999. In 2001-03, he became the Florida education commissioner and then served as Florida attorney general from 2003-07 before he was elected the 44th governor of the state in 2006. He joined the Democratic party in 2012 after endorsing Barack Obama for re-election.

Crist is especially concerned about getting American back on track in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Due to COVID-19, more Pinellas families are at risk of eviction and homelessness than ever before," he said. "Congress must pass more relief to protect businesses that provide essential services. Aid is needed now. Millions of Americans are in need — working families, children and small business owners."

The two-term congressman is facing political newcomer Anna Paulina Luna, R-St. Petersburg. The 31-year-old Air Force veteran of Mexican descent was raised by a single mother in a low-income neighborhood in Southern California where she said she was surrounded by gangs, homelessness and drugs.

She said her priorities include health care for veterans, banning Congress or its employees from becoming lobbyists after leaving office, protecting Florida's coastlines and fair trade deals that put American workers, goods and the American economy first.

She recently criticized efforts to defund the police department in south St. Petersburg.

"Anyone calling to defund police in South St. Pete is completely clueless," she said. "I went out with the St. Pete PD the othr night. Calls came in for assault and battery, trespassing, breaking and entering, etc... Every single resident was calling the cops for help. Wake up. We need cops."

District 12

Republican U.S. Rep. Gus Michael Bilirakis will attempt to hang on to his congressional District 12 seat as he faces Democrat Kimberly Walker in the Nov. 3 election. The district includes northern Pinellas County and Pasco County.

Bilirakis has been serving the district since 2013. He first entered Congress in 2007, succeeding his father, Michael Bilirakis, who represented Florida's 9th congressional district until redistricting. Prior to that, he served as a state representative from 1998 to 2006.

Working in a bipartisan manner, he said his main priorities include controlling government spending, creating jobs for middle class Americans, finding ways for government to operate smaller and smarter and lowering taxes. He said those priorities will be key to recovering from the coronavirus pandemic especially in Florida, which relies on tourism.

“As our economy looks to fully rebound, the travel and tourism sectors provide a great opportunity for American growth and prosperity," he said. "We must do everything we can to facilitate a safe return to pre-pandemic levels of employment within this critical industry.”

He said he is also committed to strengthening homeland security, improving education, increasing access to quality health care, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, protecting veterans’ benefits, ensuring the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare, and improving emergency preparedness and response.

Raised in Orlando by her mother and grandmother, Walker is a U.S. Army and Air Force veteran, a Department of Defense contractor and a former correctional officer. She holds a master of science degree in information technology.

She said she joined the race for Florida’s 12th Congressional District because she felt the country was heading in the wrong direction with an increasing number of Americans who are not able to afford health care like her cousin who died at the age of 49.

She said she's concerned about the rising cost of prescription drugs, the disregard about global warming by the current administration and the struggle of the LGBTQ community for fundamental human rights.

“As a veteran who has served my country, I believe everyday Americans should be allowed equal access to quality health care," Walker said. "Our teachers, small business owners, entrepreneurial and wage earners all work hard to contribute to America’s fabric. It makes no sense that I should be entitled to any more or less medical care than any other citizen.”

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