Conservative Christian group withdraws ‘highly qualified’ rating of judge candidate after it learns LGBTQ+ group endorsed her (Sun Sentinel)

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  Would it be fair to say that these South Florida "Christian Conservatives" are neither?

Conservative Christian group withdraws ‘highly qualified’ rating of judge candidate after it learns LGBTQ+ group endorsed her

Courtesy Lourdes Casanova

Lourdes Casanova is one of three candidates for Palm Beach County court, Group 2. (Courtesy/ Lourdes Casanova)

By ANTHONY MAN | aman@sunsentinel.com | South Florida Sun Sentinel

UPDATED: August 10, 2024 at 4:59 p.m.

The Christian Family Coalition on Saturday revoked its “highly qualified” rating from Lourdes Casanova, a candidate for Palm Beach County court judge, after learning she had been endorsed by an LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.

The Christian Family Coalition, in a statement, faulted Casanova because she had “accepted an endorsement” from the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, which it labeled “a homosexual hate group that slanders Christians and anyone who disagrees with them.”

It didn’t cite evidence for the assertions that the Human Rights Council is a hate group critical of Christians.

The Human Rights Council has championed LGBTQ+ civil rights, and endorsed candidates, since it was founded in 1988 by Rand Hoch, a former judge. Its endorsements have often included Democrats and Republicans, and the organization has worked over the years across the political spectrum in Palm Beach County.

“It’s clear that they know absolutely nothing about our organization,” which Hoch said in a phone interview Saturday has never criticized people based on religion.

“They are just coming out of nowhere and taking it out on a candidate who prior to them learning about our endorsement they thought was the most qualified. And it makes no sense. I think it’s unchristian.”

The Christian Family Coalition has a long history of opposition to abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights. It’s based in Miami and has recently sought to increase its presence in Palm Beach County.

Voting for county court judge is underway by mail and through early voting. It ends on Election Day, Aug. 20. If none of the three candidates — Casanova, Douglas Leifert or Jean Marie Middleton — receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff in November.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Not ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’: With many choices in Florida judicial races, here’s how insiders decide
• Harris campaign enlists city commissioner from Broward to mobilize Caribbean community in Florida
• Key dates: Vote-by-mail deadlines, and early voting about to begin for primaries and August nonpartisan elections
• DeSantis, Florida Republicans define Harris VP pick Walz as ‘unbridled leftist.’ Democrats see ‘big-hearted warrior.’
• ‘You’re not going to be bullied’: Broward sheriff declares zero tolerance for election intimidation
• Broward, Palm Beach sheriff’s offices won’t participate in Trump’s promised deportation roundups

If Casanova wins, she would be Palm Beach County’s first elected Hispanic woman judge. She’s also been endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association Fraternal Order of Police police unions and the Professional Firefighters/Paramedics of Palm Beach County union.

An article published Friday in the South Florida Sun Sentinel about challenges facing people trying to make informed decisions about judicial candidates noted that Casanova had the seal of approval from both the Christian Family Coalition and the Human Rights Council. Hoch said he didn’t realize they’d both green-lit the same candidate until he read the article.

Anthony Verdugo, founder and executive director of the Christian Family Coalition, said Saturday in a statement that “candidates who seek the endorsement of LGBTQ activist organizations that work to undermine family values, parental rights and children’s safety do not receive CFC Florida’s highly qualified rating.”

Hoch said the Human Rights Council seeks to enact laws ensuring equality for LGBTQ+ people. “In doing so we also provide equality for women, other minorities, and people who are not married. And that’s our mission. We do everything we can to make sure that there’s equality under the law.”

He said the Human Rights Council Voters Alliance holds in-person interviews with candidates. In the case of the three candidates for county court judge, he said the group spoke with each for 20 minutes.

The Human Rights Council Voters Alliance invites each to make a presentation, and asks about impartiality, about discrimination, about their professional and personal experience with people in the LGBTQ+ community. “All did well but she was the strongest.”

“We’re looking for people who understand equality, who understand discrimination is wrong, and when it comes to the judicial candidates. … We look for people who have demonstrated the ability to be impartial. And those are our criteria. And we had three really good candidates,” Hoch said.

Lourdes Casanova, Douglas Leifert and Jean Marie Middleton, candidates for County Court, Group 2 in Palm Beach County. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

“It’s a shame that they (the Christian Family Coalition) thought she was qualified in response to however they review candidates, and now they’re withdrawing that because she has appeared in front of another group who has determined that she is qualified and impartial and understands discrimination,” Hoch said.

Years ago, Hoch served briefly as chair of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party. In 1992, he was appointed judge of compensation claims by then Gov. Lawton Chiles, making him the first openly LGBTQ+ judge in Florida.

The Casanova campaign said via email the candidate “is honored to have earned the support of so many individuals, leaders in the legal community, and organizations, including those in law enforcement and public safety.”

This article includes information from Sun Sentinel archives.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.

Originally Published: August 10, 2024 at 12:27 p.m.