More than two dozen labor, community, and advocacy groups have formed the Battleground Alliance, a political action committee aligned with Democrats to target three Republican-held congressional House districts in Florida, including the South Florida seat held by U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar.
The nationwide goal of the Battleground Alliance PAC is to flip more than 35 key seats. The two other seats in Florida are 7th Florida Congressional District seat in Central Florida held by U.S. Rep. Cory Mills and the 13th Congressional District in Southwest Florida held by U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.
The Alliance is betting on House and Senate passage of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending package — what Trump called the “Big, Beautifull Bill Act — to galvanize voters against Republican incumbents in competitive districts.
It plans to spend $50 million, according to POLITICO, which first reported the Alliance PAC's plans.
“People are angry for a reason,” said Stephanie Porta, campaign manager for the Battleground Alliance, in a statement. “They’ve seen their rights stripped, their wages stagnate, their bills skyrocket, their healthcare attacked—and they’re done waiting. This isn’t about the usual D.C. politics. This is about the majority of Americans saying: enough is enough.”
“Working people are done watching politicians in Washington hand out favors to the wealthy while our communities struggle to afford care, housing, and food,” said April Verrett, president of SEIU, in a statement.
Florida's congressional delegation is dominated by Republicans. Sen. Rick Scott and Sen. Ashley Moody are both Republicans. Twenty of 28 House representatives are also Republican.
Last November, Trump trounced Democrat Kamala Harris in Florida, winning by 15 points, 56% to 41%. He won 61 of 67 counties, including Miami-Dade, the state’s largest.
Once a critical battleground state, Florida has shifted toward the Republican Party in recent years. A Democratic presidential nominee has not won the state since Barack Obama carried it in 2012.