Fort Lauderdale – Florida State Rep. Chip LaMarca (R) appears set for another showdown against Linda Thompson Gonzalez (D) in defense of his District 93 state legislative seat.
At a recent Broward county workshop breakfast where Rep. LaMarca gave a legislative update alongside Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book and State Sen. Shevrin Jones, The Floridian spoke with Thompson Gonzalez about her 2022 campaign prospects even after losing by double digits to LaMarca in 2020.
Gonzalez, who stayed clear from praising President Joe Biden’s first term in office when asked, appears to be focused on highlighting local issues like the rise in homeowner’s insurance, rising sea levels, and SB 620, which would allow businesses to file lawsuits against local governments for profit loss as a result of local ordinances.
The bill is widely considered to support small business freedoms.
Gonzalez noted that while she is a small business advocate, she disagrees with the bill, citing that the bill takes away power from local governments.
Proponents of the bill cite that mandates imposed by local government during the COVID-19 pandemic were overreaching.
Local governments or municipalities had the authority to shut down entire industries like restaurants and gyms.
The legislative measure would allow those businesses that experience profit loss as a result of these unsubstantiated shutdowns legal and financial recourse.
In the 2020 cycle, Gonzalez raised nearly $385,000 and LaMarca raised over $591,000.
