From Suppression to Sellout: The Laurel Lee Playbook

A recent article from Life From The Resistance, titled “The Blueprint Was Written in Her Office,” highlights that Laurel Lee’s disregard for the interests of Floridians predates her tenure in Congress.

The article takes a close look at her tenure as Ron DeSantis’s Secretary of State, during which she helped implement strict voting laws. For example, about 56,000 voters were removed from the rolls during her term, which hit marginalized groups the hardest. The article also notes that she backed rules banning water for people waiting in line to vote and that she was in charge when the voter registration website crashed for almost three hours in 2020, preventing many Floridians from signing up.

That article shows how she tried to silence us in Tallahassee, but it doesn’t cover what’s happening now—how she is ignoring our needs in Washington.

If she tried to stop you from voting as Secretary of State, now in Congress, she makes sure your vote doesn’t count, because she listens to corporate donors instead of District 15 families. For example, she has taken large campaign donations from real estate and construction companies, and her votes against affordable housing help those donors while her constituents face rising housing costs.

The “Moderate” Mask Slips

Laurel Lee relies on a polite demeanor to mask an extremist voting record. She wants you to believe she is a reasonable voice in a chaotic room. The data tells a different story.

Since arriving in Washington, Lee has often voted against her district’s economic interests. She voted NO on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bill that created about 15,000 jobs in Tampa Bay and repaired roads that cost drivers hundreds each year in repairs. She turned down $89 million for Hillsborough County road improvements. Some say she did this for fiscal responsibility, but the loss to the district was far greater than any savings, and significant economic opportunities were lost.

When families in Plant City and Zephyrhills were struggling with high healthcare costs, Lee had a chance to cap insulin at $35 a month. She voted NO. Because of this, Sarah, a diabetic in Plant City, pays $150 each month for the insulin she needs. Many of the 8,000 diabetics in the district face the same problem. This isn’t just a policy disagreement; it is cruel.

Project 2025: The Agenda She Won’t Discuss

The “Life from the Resistance” article calls her the “Project 2025 Secretary,” and that’s accurate. In Congress, she has supported this extreme agenda at every turn.

She voted for a law that allows “Schedule F” reclassification, a key part of Project 2025 that would strip job protections from thousands of federal workers. This would make the workforce that keeps our food safe and our borders secure more political. She also backed the “Limit, Save, Grow Act,” which could cut the federal workforce by 20 percent. That would hurt services for veterans and seniors in our district.

Follow the Money, Find the Votes

Why does she vote this way? It’s not a mystery; it’s a transaction.

While housing prices in our district have exploded by 89% since 2019, crushing working families and young people trying to buy their first homes, Laurel Lee has taken in more than $127,000 from the real estate and construction industries. Her donors profit from the scarcity that drives up your rent.

While our seniors ration medication, she has accepted $43,000 from the pharmaceutical industry and $89,000 from insurance interests. Is it any wonder she voted against allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices?

The Verdict

Laurel Lee didn’t just write the blueprint for voter suppression in Florida; she is currently writing the blueprint for how to sell out a congressional district. But what if there was a different blueprint, one that prioritizes the needs of the people over corporate interests? Imagine a representative who champions affordable housing by supporting initiatives that curb speculation and promote community development. Picture a leader who invests in healthcare by ensuring access to affordable medications and healthcare for all residents. With policies that emphasize economic equality, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability, we can construct a future that reflects the aspirations and needs of District 15 families.

She doesn’t treat her office as a public trust. Instead, she uses it to climb higher and protect her corporate supporters. The “Life from the Resistance” article warned us about her past, and her voting record now is a loud warning about what’s ahead.