A DEI activist running to be Florida’s first transgender state representative is touting a glowing endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis in which he hailed her as a “shining example of a positive role model.”
Ashley Brundage, who transitioned in 2008, is a former board member of the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD and was honored by the state in 2022 for her campaign.
DeSantis has waged war against Diversity, Equality and Inclusion initiatives, deriding them as “discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination.”
But Brundage, 43, is confident that Republicans and independents will support her bid for the Democratic nomination after reading her shower of praise for her work as a “mentor and advocate for children and women.”
“I think it definitely opens the door to a broader cross-party conversation,” he said.
Ashley Brundage was praised as a “shining example of a positive role model” by Governor Ron DeSantis after winning the “Spirit of the Community Award” for her work from the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
The 43-year-old, who transitioned in 2008, runs a consultancy that offers DEI training and lessons on overcoming “unconscious bias” to companies in Florida.
The Governor has promised a “war on wokeness” in his state and derided DEI initiatives as “discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination.”
The mother of two teenage children is the former vice president of diversity and inclusion at PNC Bank and runs her own consultancy that offers leadership training to companies.
In 2022 she received the ‘Spirit of Community Award’ for her work from the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
The Governor was not present at the awards ceremony, but shortly afterwards he wrote telling him to “keep up the great work.”
“I appreciate your dedication and hard work as a mentor and advocate for children and women,” he told her.
‘I am sure that you will be a shining example of a positive role model in your community.
‘As governor and father of three children,’ he continued, ‘I believe community involvement is essential as we work to improve and enrich the lives of others and engage in issues affecting Florida families.
‘Thank you for your selfless contributions to fellow Floridians. Best wishes for continued success.’
The awards were established in 1991 to recognize individuals working to improve the lives of women in the state.
The congratulatory letter that the governor sent to Brundage after her victory in 2022
Mother of two teenage children seeks Democratic nomination for House District 65
She created her company, Empowering Differences, after battling homelessness and discrimination following her transition in 2008.
DeSantis has made attacks on DEI a cornerstone of his governorship, canceling funding for all programs at public universities and promising to end all public subsidies.
“The entire DEI experiment is coming to an end in the state of Florida,” he said in May of last year. “We are eliminating DEI programs.”
The Governor has not responded to requests for comment on his endorsement of Brundage, but the awards plan, which is managed through the state Attorney General’s office, appears to have removed her from its list of 2022 winners.
That hasn’t stopped Brundage from taking aim at his words as he seeks the Democratic nomination for House District 65, currently represented by Karen González Pittman.
“He knows I’ve created programs and helped educate people all over the state of Florida,” she told Fox13.
‘He knows that I created economic empowerment programs for entrepreneurs.
“That’s going to be a big deal for independents and Republicans, who should think about voting for me.”
She is campaigning on lowering the cost of insurance, protecting small businesses from high overhead costs, and reproductive rights, hoping turnout will increase with the presence of an abortion amendment on the ballot.
She claims that if she wins, she will be the first transgender person elected to public office at any level in the state of Florida.
And he defended his work promoting diversity initiatives, insisting that it benefits the organizations that adopt them.
“Before it was called DEI, it was just considered leadership,” he said.
‘The people in charge simply learned as much as they could about people who are different from them so they could work better with them.
“Giving power to the people should not be a threat to anyone.”
This week she earned the endorsement of LPAC, a national organization that helps LGBTQ women and non-binary candidates.
“In the face of relentless anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, Ashley Brundage’s voice is not only important: it is essential,” said Executive Director Janelle Perez.
The governor’s letter has become a key part of her campaign to win over Republicans.
“Real people are suffering from real problems,” he said. ‘And instead, the Florida legislature has been talking about culture wars’
“We are witnessing an unprecedented wave of policies that undermine the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ Floridians.”
But Brundage downplays the idea that he will lead the resistance to the Governor’s “war on wokeness.”
‘As a mother, I just want my children to be happy. “I’m going to be there for them, just like the governor should be there for everyone in Florida,” she said.
‘Real people are suffering real problems. And instead, Florida’s legislative body has been talking about culture wars.’
Dailymail.com has contacted the Governor’s office for comment.