Move over, Amber Mariano. Another candidate is aiming to make history as the youngest ever member of the Florida House.
Democrat Benjamin Sandlin is answering the party's call to run in House District 12, which crosses the St. Johns River in southern Duval County.
The tale of the tape appears lopsided between the 20-year-old University of North Florida student and his November opponent, aged 55: Rep. Wyman Duggan, a close ally of incoming Speaker Danny Perez.
As of Duggan's most recent fundraising report, which runs through March, the incumbent raised more than $89,000 between his campaign account and the supportive Citizens For Building Florida's Future political committee between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31, the last date for which the Division of Elections has records.
The political committee had nearly $455,000 on hand after bringing in $71,500 in Q1. Duggan also had more than $70,000 in hard money, after raising $17,550 in Q1 to his campaign account.
Sandlin? He's raised $740.
Yet despite the financial disparity, Sandlin believes he has a story to tell, and a compelling argument against Duggan, based on the legislator's support of a bill that ended civilian review boards for police that weren't hand-picked by Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, and other bills moved by the GOP supermajority.
"The Legislature isn't gonna wait for me to get older. They haven't waited for me to get older to (pass) 'Don't Say Gay' in schools, to demonize students, demonize public school teachers. They haven't waited until I'm older to gut the public school system in favor of private school vouchers. They haven't waited until older to crack down on voting rights," Sandlin said.
"They don't have much concern for my generation and they don't seem to be hesitant in their actions. So I don't see why I should have to be hesitant in mine. I see what I'm seeing and I'm, and I think it's wrong and I want to take a stand now."
Sandlin, who was inspired to run for office by Rep. Angie Nixon saying that was a way to make changes during a meeting with her when he and others were in Tallahassee protesting permit less carry legislation, says his strategy for competing and "getting the word out" will be grassroots and shoe leather.
"If it's by not going into communities and knocking on doors, hopefully, being able to recruit volunteers, anyone that's willing to help with not just door knocking, but obviously fundraising, you know, money is important but it's not everything," Sandlin said.
Meanwhile, Sandlin recognizes that there are some issues with the top of the ticket this year.
Asked if he was voting for President Joe Biden's re-election, he said he'd "rather not say," but that he's not going to "tell people how to vote."
At the heart of his dissatisfaction: the President's handling of campus protests against Israel.
"Students deserve to have their voices heard. And I think a lot of people are justifiably upset that the President has not clarified that they have a right to make their voice heard," Sandlin said. "I think it's absolutely fair to say that he's let students down in that regard."
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