State Rep. Ben Diamond announcing his run for Congress at the USF St. Petersburg campus. Photo courtesy of Preston Rudie
Now that Rep. Charlie Crist is officially running for governor, a candidate for Crist's congressional seat has stepped forward.
State Rep. Ben Diamond (D-St. Petersburg) announced his run Monday for the District 13 House seat.
- The seat covers most of Pinellas County and its beaches, including St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Largo and most of Clearwater.
Who is he? A 42-year-old Pinellas County native, who formerly served as general counsel to then-Florida CFO Alex Sink before being elected to the Florida House. He lives in St. Petersburg with his wife and three children.
His top concerns: "Climate change and the environment, criminal justice reforms to ensure everyone is treated equally regardless of race or ethnicity, and health care that is accessible and affordable," Diamond said in announcing his run.
His opponent: Eric Lynn, a national security adviser from St. Petersburg, put in his bid for the seat last week. Lynn lost to Diamond in the primary for his current seat.
1 cute thing: Diamond's 3-year-old daughter, Vera, decided it was playtime while he was still on stage. He accepted.
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