Democrat Lindsay Polega-Quigley says her victory over Republican Melissa Rutland in Florida House District 60 reflects the concerns she heard while knocking on residents’ doors, and that is: “People want more direct input about their day-to-day. They want it to reflect their families: beautiful, safe and affordable.”
She said connecting with community members in the spaces she had frequented long before launching her campaign helped make the difference at the polls.
“’Thank you for listening,’” she said, was something residents often expressed.
She recalled speaking with a woman at her doorstep who felt politicians had ignored her concerns about paying her electric bill and keeping her children safe at school.
Those conversations, Polega-Quigley said, reinforced her commitment to making government more responsive to working families.
As she prepares to succeed outgoing Rep. Lindsay Cross, Polega-Quigley has been looking toward Cross as a mentor and an example of how to deliver results.
“Representative Cross has an incredible background in environmentalism,” she said. “Cross helped me with understanding the long-term consequences of infrastructure and development decisions, and how environmental protection and sustainable growth can go hand in hand.
“It’s possible to do it all. It really is,” she added. “She set a great example of how to work across party lines when you are creating better outcomes for everyone.”
One example came in 2025, when Cross partnered with Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie on legislation addressing vehicles creating damaging wakes on flooded streets, an issue that had plagued neighborhoods like Shore Acres following hurricanes.
Although their original bills did not pass independently, the measure was incorporated into a larger transportation package signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The law allows local governments to establish slow-speed zones during flooding and gives law enforcement the authority to cite drivers who create excessive wakes.
Cross’s record of securing state funding is another model Polega-Quigley flagged: $8 million to District 60.
“I’m going to continue to try and bring back the dollars we need for our community,” Polega-Quigley said.
While she intends to continue many of Cross’s priorities, Polega-Quigley also brings the perspective of a “young, working-class attorney,” an experience she says informs her understanding of the struggles facing everyday Floridians.
Affordability and insurance costs will be among her top legislative priorities, saying, “I think we have a Legislature that is ready now to address these issues.”