Candidate Endorsement Form

Judicial

Welcome to SAVE's Candidate Endorsement Process. The following form is being distributed to candidates that have qualified to run for office in a race for which SAVE has decided to consider making an endorsement.

Founded in 1993, SAVE is known for its thorough endorsement process, which begins with a Panel of community members interviewing candidates for office. The Panel's recommendations are further vetted by our Endorsement Committee, and finally reach our Board of Directors for final decisions.

Only candidates whose demonstrated support of the issues important to the LGBTQ+ community will earn our endorsement. SAVE may also choose to support endorsed candidates on our voter guides and in some cases our field resources will be used to help turn out pro-equality voters to the polls in support of our endorsed candidates.

Candidate First Name

Candidate Last Name

What Office are you seeking? (be specific)

Political Party

Are you the Incumbent?

Yes

Campaign Mailing Address

Candidate Phone Number

Candidate Email

Campaign Manager's Name

Candidate's Occupation

Candidate's Employer

How long have you lived in the county in which you are running?

Do you currently hold public office? If so, please list which office.

Have you ever held public office?

Yes

If so, please list which office.

Have you run for public office before?

Yes

If so, please list which office.

Have you ever worked on another campaign for any candidate running for public office?

Yes

If so, please list the name of the office/ municipality or district/ year and the name of candidate.

Which constituencies do you believe make up your voter base (who is going to vote for you)?

How much do you expect to spend on this campaign?

Amount raised to date:

Law school attended and year of graduation:

Canon 2(C) of Florida’s Code of Judicial Conduct states that a judge should not hold membership in an organization that practices invidious discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin. Should this canon be changed to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression on the list of categories of discrimination?

Please check “Yes” or “No”.

Yes

Why or why not?

Please describe any experience or involvement you have had with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. You may include any experience including those with LGBT people and/or personal relationships (family members, friends, etc.), which have helped shape your viewpoint of LGBTQ issues.

Answer Below:

Have you hired, or would you hire someone you knew was lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer?

Yes

Why or why not?

Have you promoted diversity within your staff?

Yes

If so, how?

Have you ever contributed to or been involved with any racial, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other social reform organizations or causes?

Yes

If so, which organizations and what type of support did you give?

Have you ever been a member of, or participant in, any civic or philanthropic organization?

Yes

If so, which organizations and what type of support did you give?

Have you ever been a member of any political organization, union or civil rights group?

Yes

If so, which political organizations, unions or civil rights groups?

Have you ever been a member of, or been affiliated with, the Heritage Foundation?

Yes

If so, when and for how long?

Please explain your judicial philosophy, i.e., do you favor textualism, originalism, or a “living constitution” philosophy?

What is your view of stare decisis (following precedent), and when, if ever, is it appropriate to interpret the law in conjunction with current societal problems or issues?

Have you ever been called upon, as a judge or an attorney, to separate your personal or political views from your legal decisions or the advocacy of your client?

Have you ever been reprimanded by the Florida Bar (or Judicial Qualifying Commission) or by any other licensing or certifying organization?

Yes

If so, please explain circumstances surrounding the investigation and result of the same. If you were reprimanded, please set forth the nature and date of the reprimand.

If you have issued any judicial opinions, represented any parties or litigated any matters, which you think would be of interest to the LGBTQ community or its supporters, please explain.

Attach any additional information to this questionnaire, if necessary.

If you have written any law review articles which you think would be of interest to the LGBT community or its supporters, please explain .

Attach any additional information to this questionnaire, if necessary.

Would you accept a public endorsement from the SAVE Action PAC?

Yes

Would you include the endorsement in your campaign literature?

Yes

Please explain why or why not.

Have you completed a questionnaire from the Christian Family Coalition, Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, American Family Coalition or similar groups?

Yes

If asked by such groups or like-minded groups to complete a questionnaire, would you complete such a questionnaire?

Yes

If yes to the above question, would you be willing to provide us with a copy of the questionnaire you submitted?

Yes

File upload

Please explain why or why not.

Are you aware of any publicity that would negatively affect your candidacy or negatively affect SAVE Action PAC should SAVE Action PAC decide to endorse your candidacy?

Yes

If so, please explain.

Did you use artificial intelligence (AI), ChatGPT, or any other similar program to complete this questionnaire?

Yes

We thank you for responding to this questionnaire. We appreciate your time and attention. Please read and sign the certification statement below before submitting the completed questionnaire to SAVE Action PAC.

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I certify that the answers to the above questions on this questionnaire accurately reflect my personal and professional positions on the issues addressed. I hereby pledge that by responding to this questionnaire and seeking the endorsement of SAVE Action PAC, my campaign and I will refrain from engaging in any campaign practices that attempt to make an issue of my opponents seeking this endorsement, should I not receive the endorsement.

I further certify that I have not, or will not, respond to the same questions contained in this questionnaire in a different fashion, if the same or similarly referenced questions are presented by another group from which I am seeking an endorsement.

In pledging to not use SAVE Action PAC’s endorsement in a negative fashion, I recognize that SAVE Action PAC reserves the right to use this signed statement in any fashion deemed appropriate by SAVE Action PAC, specifically including, but not limited to, submission of a grievance with the Division of Elections, should I or my campaign engage in any negative use of the questionnaire submitted by an opponent and/or the endorsement made by SAVE Action PAC.

Pursuant to Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee Opinion Number: 2006-18, I clearly acknowledge that, by completing this questionnaire, (1) I do not promise to rule a certain way in a case; (2) I have the obligation to follow binding legal precedent anywhere it exists; (3) I do not endorse any other individual who is likely to stand for election to or retention in any public office or any platform of a political party; and (4) I represent any commentary I made on past judicial decisions has been analytical, informed, respectful, and dignified.