FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY ANNOUNCES LATEST TAKE BACK LOCAL SLATE FOR UPCOMING ELECTIONS

Tallahassee, FL — Today, the Florida Democratic Party announced its summer 2026 slate of Take Back Local candidates. The Take Back Local program is an initiative to provide resources to candidates in competitive local races across the state. Sixteen candidates, selected through a rigorous application and vetting process, will receive organizing and campaigning support from the Florida Democratic Party.

“Through Take Back Local, the Florida Democratic Party supports candidates all the way down the ballot,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “It’s crucial to invest in these competitive races and grow our bench because more than ever, local elections are impacting Floridians’ everyday lives.

“This cohort highlights school board races that are critical for the protection of public education in our state, which has been systematically attacked by Republicans. In August of 2024, 9 of our 11 Take Back Local School Board candidates took on Mom’s for Liberty extremists and either advanced to the general, or won their seats in the primary outright. Our Take Back Local candidates will protect public schools and serve their communities for the people, not for profit.”

The summer Take Back Local slate for the elections includes:

  • Angie Gallo, Orange County School Board, At-Large
  • Melissa Lopez Marantes, Orange County School Board, District 1
  • Gloria Reina O’Neal, Orange County, District 2
  • Debbie Jordan, Lee County School Board, District 6
  • India Palencia, Lee County School Board, District 6
  • Beth Mayberry, Sarasota County School Board, District 5
  • Kristine Kraus, Seminole County School Board, District 1
  • Autumn Garick, Seminole County School Board, District 5
  • Victor Sims, Polk County School Board, District 3
  • Chantal Wilford, Manatee County School Board, District 5
  • Sue Woltanski, Monroe County School Board, District 5
  • Nancy Velardi, Pinellas County School Board, District 2
  • John McGovern, Palm Beach County School Board, District 6
  • Cathy Moon, Flagler County School Board, District 1
  • Mone Holder, Jacksonville City Council, At-Large
  • Flo Entler, Sarasota City Commissioner, At-Large

About the Florida Democratic Party’s Take Back Local Program 2026

The Take Back Local program is the party’s initiative to provide resources to candidates in competitive local races across the state. Across the last four cohorts, candidates who have participated in this program have achieved a 76% win rate.

Candidates are selected through a rigorous application and vetting process, and will receive organizing and campaign support from the Florida Democratic Party. The Party invests directly in local candidates with funding, strategy, and voter contact, and builds the year-round organizing infrastructure that turns one race into lasting power. We’ve provided: 

  • Direct funding: The Party puts real dollars into local races that are too often left to fend for themselves.
  • Strategic support: Candidates get help with targeting, message, voter data, and campaign mechanics, so a strong candidate is not sunk by a thin operation.
  • Direct voter contact: The Party runs and resources voter contact, from door-to-door canvassing and phones to vote-by-mail, reaching voters that local campaigns often cannot reach alone.

The program’s record of success includes:

Miami: after 3 decades, a flip for a better future. In December 2025, Eileen Higgins flipped Miami’s Mayor’s Office to Democratic hands for the first time in 30 years with the support of Take Back Local. Not only did she make history, becoming the first woman elected to the office in 126 years, her campaign was victorious by over 19 points. With a message laser focused on affordability, Mayor Higgins, sailed into office not on the support of democrats alone, but with wide crossover from NPAs and Republicans.

Maitland: history made on the City Council. With Take Back Local support, Keith Givens won Seat 2 on the Maitland City Council in March 2026, becoming the first Black member of the Council in the city’s history. A Navy and Army veteran and a 30-year FBI agent, Givens brings a long record of service to a community that had never before elected a Black council member.

Boca Raton: 5 votes and 1 flip later. With the support of Take Back Local, Andy Thomson flipped the Boca Raton Mayor’s Office by a razor thin margin of just 5 votes in March of 2026. His victory proved that mobilizing volunteers to the doors and phones made the difference on election day. These are the types of programs that Take Back Local supports for cohort members. 

Alachua: a seat flipped. With Take Back Local support, Jackson Youmas beat incumbent Dayna Williams in Alachua’s City Commission election for Seat 3 on April 14. The Party helped flip Seat 3 on the Alachua City Commission in April 2026, backing the challenger who unseated the sitting incumbent. The win came in a race where the outgoing commission had closed a polling precinct serving a majority non-white community, a move local Democrats challenged as a barrier to the vote.

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