Rep. Lindsay Cross announced Thursday that she will not run for re-election to Florida House District 60 this year. She was first elected in 2022 and could have served two more terms before reaching term limits.

“I am eternally grateful to everyone that has supported my campaigns and allowed me to serve in the Florida Legislature,” Cross said. “Over the past four years, I have worked hard to live up to the promises I made to my District and supporters like you. I am proud to have brought resources back home to our community to repair infrastructure, improve water quality, create jobs, support the arts, and provide critical programs for hard-working families.”

Cross didn’t say what her next steps would be. Still, she is an environmental scientist by trade, with a bachelor’s degree in environmental health and a master’s in environmental science and policy.

“I plan to stay engaged in the work: ensuring our water stays clean, investing in the life of our community and state, and supporting candidates who share our values,” she said.

“I look forward to being more engaged locally year-round and empowering a new generation of leaders who can represent us with the passion, grit, intelligence, and humility that is required to hold Tallahassee accountable,” she added.

Cross, a Democrat, has shown she can get things done even while serving in the super-minority. She has often worked with Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie to secure funding for her St. Petersburg district, especially for environmental conservation, resilience, sustainability, and storm recovery after the severe hurricanes in 2024 that caused major flooding and wind damage.

This year, Cross worked with other local lawmakers to try to get funding for the University of South Florida after a fire destroyed a downtown St. Pete building. In the end, the funding was not included in the budget.

In 2025, Cross helped secure over $3 million for local projects. She also worked with DiCeglie to pass a law making it a traffic violation for drivers who speed through flooded streets and make wakes that worsen neighborhood flooding. This issue became clear after Hurricane Helene.

“Working across the aisle, I am also deeply proud of the policies I helped pass to protect our natural environment, increase affordable housing options, and better prepare for and recover from natural disasters, like hurricanes,” Cross said.

Cross was re-elected to her seat in November, earning 54% of the vote after a tough challenge from former St. Pete City Council member Ed Montanari. Riding what had been a red wave for a couple of election cycles, local Republicans saw in Montanari — a public servant who served in a nonpartisan role and was well-liked by most regardless of party affiliation — an opportunity to flip HD 60.

Democrats have only a small voter registration edge, outnumbering Republicans by fewer than 1,000 out of more than 108,000 voters. Cross’s seat is highly competitive. Her departure opens the race, likely drawing interest from Republicans while Democrats look for someone to succeed her.

But Cross said she made her decision “understanding that 2026 is on track to be a strong election cycle for candidates who share our values.” Midterm election years like 2026 usually favor the party not in the White House. Democrats hope this trend will be even stronger this year, given President Donald Trump’s low approval ratings, the unpopular war in Iran, high gas prices, and inflation that is putting financial pressure on people in Cross’s district and across the country.

As of Thursday morning, neither a Republican nor a Democrat had filed for Cross’s seat.

In a statement announcing her departure, Cross thanked all who have helped and supported her throughout her legislative career.

“From hard-working campaign volunteers to dedicated donors, we’ve made a difference these last few years. I’m confident we’ll have a strong Democratic nominee for this seat in November, and I look forward to working with all of you to get that candidate elected.”