Michele Rayner
Michele K. Rayner | |
|---|---|
| File:Rep. Michele K. Rayner, 2022 portrait.jpg | |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office November 3, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Wengay Newton |
| Constituency | 70th district (2020–2022) 62nd district (2022–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 25, 1981 Clearwater, Florida, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | Florida State University (BS, MS) Florida Coastal School of Law (JD) |
| Signature | File:Michele Rayner signature.png |
Michele Kenyette Rayner (born September 25, 1981) is an American attorney and politician. She has served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2020, representing District 62 in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.[1]
Early life and career
[edit | edit source]Rayner was born and raised in Clearwater, Florida.[2] She attended Florida State University, receiving her B.S. in international affairs and political science in 2003, and M.S. in international affairs in 2006.[3][4] After graduating from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2011 and being admitted to the Florida Bar, she returned to Clearwater and worked as an assistant public defender in the state's Sixth Judicial Circuit, and then as a lawyer in private practice.[2]
Rayner is the lead counsel of Civil Liberty Law. She was also the local counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She is a member of the Fred G. Minnis Sr. Bar Association and Delta Sigma Theta.[5]
Florida Legislature
[edit | edit source]In 2020, Rayner ran for the Florida House of Representatives seat vacated by Wengay Newton, who opted to run for the Pinellas County Commission. Rayner raised $116,900 in campaign funds, over double that of her nearest competitor. Rayner garnered 31.3% of the vote against three other candidates in the Democratic primary, with second-place finisher Keisha Bell receiving 26.8%.[6][7] Rayner was elected without opposition in the general election.
Rayner is the first black lesbian woman elected to Florida's legislature. She was endorsed by Equality Florida, the Florida Education Association, Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida, U.S. Representative Charlie Crist, and Florida state representative Jennifer Webb.[6][8][9] She was not endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County.[9]
In April 2022, Rayner argued that the effort to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act was emblematic of the "deep selfishness and the deep blind political ambition" of Ron DeSantis, and adding that it is "unconscionable" that he is doing this effort on the "backs of working people."[10]
On April 21, 2022, Rayner attempted to stage a sit-in demonstration to prevent a vote on Florida's congressional district maps.[11] Opponents of the tactic compared her actions to an insurrection.[12] The demonstration was ultimately unsuccessful.
Elections
[edit | edit source]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Michele Rayner | 7,998 | 31.3 | |
| Democratic | Keisha Bell | 6,858 | 26.8 | |
| Democratic | Michelle Grimsley | 5,998 | 23.4 | |
| Democratic | Mark Oliver | 4,733 | 18.5 | |
| Total votes | 25,587 | 100% | ||
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Lua error in Module:Official_website at line 94: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- 1981 births
- Living people
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American women politicians
- 21st-century African-American lawyers
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 21st-century American lawyers
- 21st-century American women lawyers
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people
- Activists from Florida
- African-American activists
- African-American state legislators in Florida
- American women lawyers
- American civil rights lawyers
- American social justice activists
- African-American LGBTQ people
- American LGBTQ lawyers
- Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
- American lesbian politicians
- LGBTQ state legislators in Florida
- People associated with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- Public defenders
- American women civil rights activists
- Women state legislators in Florida
- 21st-century members of the Florida Legislature