A Democratic political action committee has announced support for 22 candidates running across Florida this election cycle, betting that recent special election victories show the party can compete in districts traditionally considered Republican strongholds. Engage Y'All endorsed two congressional candidates, 16 legislative hopefuls, and four local candidates as part of a strategy to expand Democratic representation in the state.
The congressional endorsements include Pia Dandiya, who is running for the open Florida's 22nd Congressional District seat, and Nicole Locklin, who is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart in Florida's 26th Congressional District. In state Senate races, the PAC backed Lauren Donahoo against Republican state Sen. Corey Simon in Senate District 2 and Ashley Gantt in Senate District 34, which opened after Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones decided to run for Congress. The PAC also endorsed 14 candidates in state House races across Florida, with 11 of those races currently held by Republicans. House endorsements span districts throughout the state and include Jane Aman, Lucai Baez-Geller, Darryl Block, Daniel Cicirelli, Kyandra Darling, Michelle DeJesus, Jared Fox, Eric Gray, August Mangeney, Justin Mendoza-Routt, May Thach, John Taylor, Samuel Vilchez Santiago, and Ingrid Wadsworth.
Beyond legislative races, the PAC supported Dee Galery for Palm Coast City Council, Linsey Grove for St. Petersburg City Council, Susanne Pena for Orange County School Board, and Victor Sims for Polk County School Board. Katherine Jackson, senior communications advisor for the PAC, said the endorsements represent "leaders across the state who are rising to meet this moment for the people they seek to represent." The slate of candidates reflects demographic diversity, with 59 percent women, 50 percent people of color, and 86 percent from millennial and Generation Z age groups.
Engage Y'All was founded last year by Democratic congressional candidate Gay Valimont following her special election campaign against now-U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis in Florida's 1st Congressional District. Though Patronis won that race with nearly 57 percent of the vote, Valimont significantly improved her performance compared to a previous attempt against the prior incumbent. She is challenging Patronis again in 2026. The PAC's approach focuses on persuading Democrats that they can succeed in districts many view as unlikely Democratic wins. The organization has already helped flip two legislative seats to Democratic control, with state Rep. Emily Gregory from Palm Beach County and state Sen. Brian Nathan from Tampa winning races with PAC support. The group also assisted Democrat Eileen Higgins in winning the Miami Mayor race. Engage Y'All accumulated substantial resources during a Panhandle special election last year.