Tampa woman Ashley Brundage aims to become Florida's first transgender member of state Legislature

Democrat Ashley Brundage this week opened a campaign account to run for a Hillsborough County seat in the state House and to try to become the first transgender member of the Legislature.

Brundage filed the paperwork to run in House District 65, which is held by Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman, R-Tampa, according to the state Division of Elections website.

Gonzalez Pittman is running for re-election in November and had raised $154,189 for her campaign as of March 31, according to a newly filed finance report.

Democrat Nathan Albert Kuipers also has opened an account and had raised $11,527. The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis have approved a series of measures in recent years targeting transgender people.

LPAC, a national organization that helps LGBTQ women and nonbinary candidates, issued a statement Friday supporting Brundage’s campaign.

"In the face of relentless anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, Ashley Brundage's voice is not just important — it's essential,” Janelle Perez, LPAC’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “We are witnessing an unprecedented wave of policies that undermine the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ Floridians."