Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus holds general election candidate forum next month

Neil Manimala candidate for County Commissioner District 5 at the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus last July. Credit: Dave Decker

Just a couple months from the midterm election, Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus will bring people together again for its general election candidate forum.

The event invites all statewide and local candidates and residents across the state to First Baptist Church of Progress Village, located at 8722 Progress Village Blvd., on Thursday, Oct. 8.

The forum allows residents to speak with candidates and ask questions before the upcoming general midterm election wraps on Election Day, Tuesday Nov. 2 (early voting happens Oct. 19 through Nov. 1).

So far the candidates expected to appear at the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus candidate forum are Hillsborough County School Board District 6 Karen Perez and School Board District 2 candidate Daniela Simic. Hillsborough County Commission District 7 hopeful Aileen Rordiguez, and Neil Manimala candidate for County Commissioner District 5. Congressional candidates Robert Peoples and Kathy Castor will appear and so will Luis Salazar who is running for State House in District 64.

The open-to-the-public event also invited progressive candidate and Democratic Socialist Angie Nixon, who won 67% of the votes with under $1 million in donations. Governor candidate David Jolly and Lt. Gov. Gwen Graham who were also invited along with Congressional candidate Kim Overman but the caucus is still waiting confirmation.

The voter registration deadline for the November midterm is Monday, Oct. 5. Early voting runs Oct. 19-Nov. 1. The deadline to request a vote by mail ballot is Thursday, Oct. 22.

The Democratic Black Caucus held a similar forum “Meet the Candidates” forum back in July ahead of the primaries, giving the opportunity for anyone to come and speak with candidates.

President of the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus, Angela Birdsong, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay back in June about the importance of getting people together to meet their elected officials.

“A lot of people never get to meet a candidate or an elected official, so we want to give them that opportunity,” Birdsong said.

Birdsong relayed the importance of getting young voters out to the polls and that this upcoming event will be a big push for educating and registering 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote in the general election two years from now. She also said that regardless of what President Trump says about voting by mail, she wants to get those ballots to the people.

“We want every voter to sign up for vote by mail regardless of what you’re hearing from the president”, Birdsong said. “We want those ballots coming to people’s homes.”

The no-cover event is Thursday, Oct. 8, 6-8 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Progress Village.

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This article appears in September 03 – 09, 2026.