Florida race could be signal 'MAGA brand of political theater is on the wane': NY Times

Whitney Fox is challenging MAGA firebrand Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, which includes deep-blue St. Petersburg surrounded by the much redder Pinellas County. The race pits two women in their 30s with young children and vastly different views, reported the Times.

“We are two young women running against each other and we both have young children and we have completely different ideas of family policies and reproductive rights ” Fox said of her opponent. “I think we’re going to be able to really go head-to-head on those issues from personal places.”

Luna has described herself as a “pro-life extremist" who doesn't believe in exceptions for rape or other "terrible circumstances." Fox said she decided to challenge the congresswoman due to those views and her own support for the state ballot measure that would guarantee the right to abortion up to the point of viability, which Luna opposes.

“For women younger than 45, abortion has overtaken the economy as the single most important issue to their vote," said New York Times correspondent Ruth Igielnik.

That ballot measure, Amendment 4, and Harris' entering the race has driven up enthusiasm among Democrats, especially younger voters, and has given Fox a 48-44 lead over Luna in one local poll, although it's close to the margin of error. But political analysts think the first-time candidate might be attracting needed attention.

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“I do think that Fox is running a strong campaign, and I’ll be curious if the major Democratic groups (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, House Majority PAC) end up spending money here this fall — that will be the real signal that this is a really competitive race," said Erin Covey, who leads the Cook Political Report’s coverage of House races, back in June.

Luna lost her first race, in 2020, but partisan gerrymandering two years later cut away part of St. Petersburg and tilted the district so far in favor of Republicans that the state was flagged by Princeton’s nonpartisan gerrymandering report card for a failing grade. Covey said the MAGA lawmaker “is the type of Republican who could underperform Trump” in Florida.

"If (a big if) Ms. Fox can triumph in this race," said Times correspondent Jessica Grose, "it could be much bigger than just a win in her district. It may be another sign that the MAGA brand of political theater is on the wane in some quarters, and that an exhausted moderate majority is ready for politics to be competent — and normal — again."