As Florida Republicans gear up for the 2022 midterms, plenty of state lawmakers are ready to use their former legislative agendas to keep their seats. State Rep. Joe Harding (R-22) is flexing his sponsorship of the Parental Rights in Education bill for his re-election hopes.
In a recent mailer to Florida constituents, Joe Harding advertises himself as a "Conservative Republican & 7th generation Floridian." Upon listing his personal accomplishments of owning a small business and being a father of four children, being the "Sponsor of Florida's Parental Rights in Education Legislation," was placed at the top of the bullet point list.
On the backside of the mailer, Harding listed his legislative accomplishments, where he again mentioned his work on passing the Parental Rights in Education Bill. The list proceeds as follows:
- Parental Rights Defended
- Largest Tax Relief Package in Florida History
- Crackdown on Sexual Offenders Creating Fake Images of Others
- Multiple Appropriations for Our District
"I'm honored to serve you in the Florida House. From the first day I was elected, I've been committed to the conservative ideals that make our part of Florida strong and free," stated Harding in his latest campaign mailer.
Harding has seemed to hold the line on his values after returning donations from Disney when the corporation became very involved in the fate of the bill. The state representative has also earned his fair share of backlash after a Liberal USA Today writer, among others, cheered on a tornado that damaged Harding's home.
The Parental Rights in Education bill had a rocky legislative existence. The bill was quickly branded the, "Don't Say Gay,' bill after Florida Democrats asserted it prohibited discussions of homosexuality from the classroom. The Democrats' hands were eventually forced and admitted that the word does not include the term, "gay," at all.
The bill stood as a model for other states who took up similar issues in their state legislatures. Ultimately, the cause proved to be more bipartisan than the mainstream media made it seem, some data even suggests that a majority of Democrats support the language of the legislation.
