Rep. Anna Eskamani, District 42
Rep. Anna Eskamani has been a strong supporter of state/church separation, appearing at many events related to secularism and fighting Christian nationalism. She was the Action Fund’s Secularist of the Week on April 19, 2023.
Eskamani, the daughter of Iranian immigrants who represents the state’s District 42, identifies personally as secular. She was among other dissenters who filed more than 50 amendments seeking to block Florida’s six-week abortion ban. One of her amendments sought to change the name of the bill to the “Forced Pregnancy Act” so that, as she explained, “the people of Florida know what we’re actually up to.”
During the floor debate, Eskamani said, “Floridians overwhelmingly oppose bans on abortion. . . . We should have no say in this personal, private decision. I don’t understand why we can’t find a consensus that forcing people to birth is wrong.”
District 42 is now located in the heat of Orlando. Eskamani qualified for the ballot by petition, which required gathering more than 1,300 constituent signatures. Eskamani’s opponent, Greg Pull, filed to run one day ahead of the filing deadline. Eskamani is endorsed by many local and state organizations, including many that focus on LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive autonomy, and other progressive causes.