Aiming to become the first transgender person elected to the Florida State House, Ashley Brundage has qualified to run for the state's 65th House District, according to an announcement by the Florida Democratic Party. As reported by The Bradenton Times, Brundage, a former vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at PNC Bank, is now in the running for a seat historically held by Republicans.

Her campaign comes at a time when the GOP-led state government has been noted for supporting anti-LGBTQ laws. Despite the challenging political landscape, Brundage is leveraging her DEI background, as she told CL Tampa, “While I’m going to be making history on something like me and my personal life, which really has no impact on anything, but what I think is even more history-making is that I used to be the DEI person for PNC Bank and 60,000 employees as their national president of diversity, equity, inclusion.”

Brundage's professional history includes founding her own small business, Empowering Differences, which specializes in DEI training for companies. It is her belief that inclusion provides an opportunity for individuals to learn and grow, thereby benefiting business and the community alike. She explained in an interview with Orlando Weekly that “Because inclusion is literally the opportunity for us to learn and grow as people...was an opportunity for someone to learn about a community, and then go and sell more goods and services to make more money from that community.”

Housed within a district comprising 39% Republican, 31% Democratic, and 30% NPA and third-party voters, Brundage is eyeing the NPA group as "the secret sauce to our win." Reflecting on her campaign objectives, Ashley Brundage highlighted key issues such as lowering property insurance costs, preserving reproductive rights, and supporting small businesses, which she believes are crucial for the long-term economic strength of Florida. These priorities were echoed on her campaign website, Ashley Brundage For Florida, where she articulates a vision for a more equitable and prosperous future for the state's residents.

Recently, Brundage received the "Spirit of the Community Award" from the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, which prompted a commendation from Governor Ron DeSantis. However, following the revelation of her transgender status, the letter of praise was reportedly removed from the governor's website, a move Brundage disputes, stating to CL Tampa, "If he had read the actual nomination before signing the letter, he would have known" about her transgender status. As the election approaches, Brundage must first overcome a primary challenge from Nathan Kuipers on August 20 before she can face the incumbent Marilyn Gonzalez Pittman in the November general election.