Florida Senate District 3 candidate Daryl Parks held a meet and greet Tuesday at The Venue in Quincy.
Residents gathered as Parks and his team catered food and drinks, as a DJ provided music.
Despite receiving an invite and RSVPing to attend the meet and greet, WFSU was told by a member of Parks’ team that the lawyer-turned-politician, would not be answering any questions on record about the senate race or about his recent attacks on his Republican opponent and incumbent Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee.
Parks has claimed Simon supports limiting access to abortion. Simon was not in office during the state’s 15-week ban and he voted against the current 6-week limit. He did recently state his opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights, Amendment 4.
Speaking with members of the community
During the Meet & Greet, WFSU spoke with members of the community.
“We need to deal with the gun violence, we need to deal with the drug problem, and we also need to get a homeless shelter because we got a lot of people still out on the streets," said Henry Yoman, a 73-year-old Quincy resident.
Gadsden County is one of 13 counties in District 3
Simon won the 2022 election against former Sen. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, flipping the once Democratic seat from Blue to Red.
Democrats claim Simon benefited financially from having Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican-heavy state legislature in his corner.
In 2020, DeSantis appointed Simon the CEO of Volunteer Florida.
Big money can't buy votes. We're fighting for the people, not the powerful. pic.twitter.com/C41r0uZIeX
— Daryl Parks (@parksesq) August 25, 2024
Despite the efforts of Dem’s to denounce the Florida State alum and pro-football standout, Jay Williams, a Quincy resident who had previously met Parks at the 5th Annual Essence BBQ in New Orleans, said he will support the candidate he believes will do the right thing—bring money and jobs back to Gadsden County.
“It’s all about bringing up people no matter what party they are a part of," he said. "It’s bringing people up to the next level.”
WFSU is working on securing a date and time to have both Simon and Parks attend a live panel discussion.
More information will be available on our website.