Herald endorsement: Our choice for Florida House District 117 | Opinion
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Editorial Board’s General Election Endorsements
In advance of the upcoming general elections on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, the Editorial Board interviewed and researched candidates to better understand their views on various issues and how their policies will affect their constituents. The goal is to give voters a better idea of who’s the best candidate for each race.
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In South Miami-Dade’s Florida House District 117, Democratic incumbent Rep. Kevin Chambliss faces newcomer Republican Beatrice Slawson.
The district covers an area stretching from just north of Southwest 152th Street along South Dixie Highway to Homestead and Florida City.
Our choice is Chambliss, 43, who was first elected in 2020.
Chambliss is a former legislative aide to past members of Congress, including former Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who’s running for the U.S. Senate. He credits that experience for his ability to find common ground with GOP members in the Republican-controlled Florida House.
“I took that same framework of not allowing the label to distance me from the individual and, because of that, we’ve been able to create a lot of across-the-aisle relationships,” Chambliss told the Herald Editorial Board.
Chambliss has focused on criminal justice issues in Tallahassee, passing legislation in 2021 to provide more protections for tipsters who offer information through the tip line Crime Stoppers. This year, he co-sponsored a bill with a Republican colleague to make it easier for people with criminal records to obtain state barber and cosmetology licenses. The Legislature passed the bill unanimously but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it.
Chambliss touted funding he’s helped secure in the state budget for his district, including $500,000 for breast cancer outreach in Homestead and $250,000 for a mobile police unit in Florida City.
Chambliss has had some brushes with the law. He was arrested “multiple times,” he said, for driving with a suspended license stemming from unpaid traffic tickets that he said he didn’t realize he had received. He also had a long list of more than 30 traffic infractions between 2012 and 2021, most of them red light camera violations that were usually later dismissed, county records show.
Chambliss supports constitutional Amendment 3 to legalize recreational marijuana as a way to decriminalize the personal use of the drug and wants lawmakers to regulate it like alcohol and cigarettes. He also supports Amendment 4 to reestablish abortion rights.
Chambliss said that, if reelected, he wants to file legislation to address violence on school buses, which he said might be related to the lack of bus aides, and to help children with disabilities.
Slawson, a self-employed equity trader, said she’s running because she wants to ban hydrogenated oils and other food additives that she said caused her to develop a chronic illness. While she’s passionate about holding food manufacturers accountable, she appears to be a one-issue candidate.
Chambliss’ traffic infractions are not a good look for a state lawmaker, though most were before he was elected. But he has advanced important issues for his constituents.
The Herald endorses KEVIN CHAMBLISS for Florida House District 117.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWho decides the political endorsements?
In advance of local and state elections, Miami Herald Editorial Board members interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The Editorial Board is composed of experienced opinion journalists and is independent of the Herald’s newsroom. Members of the Miami Herald Editorial Board are: Amy Driscoll, editorial page editor; and editorial writers Isadora Rangel and Mary Anna Mancuso. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
What does the endorsement process look like?
The Miami Herald Editorial Board interviews political candidates to better understand their views on public policy and how their policies will affect their constituents. Board members do additional reporting and research to learn as much as possible about the candidates before making an endorsement. The Editorial Board then convenes to discuss the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. Candidates who decline to be interviewed will not receive an endorsement.
Is the Editorial Board partisan?
No. In making endorsements, members of the Editorial Board consider which candidates are better prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they agree with our editorial stances or belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, readiness for office, depth of knowledge of key issues and understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points.
This story was originally published October 21, 2024 at 11:05 AM.
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