VoteWater, a South Florida clean-water advocacy group, has endorsed Steve Friedman for Islamorada Village Council.

Friedman is a backcountry fishing guide and the former Commodore of the Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association. He helped form Florida Bay Forever, served on the Islamorada Near Shore Water Regulation Committee and is a member of Captains for Clean Water.

“Steve Friedman is a long-time friend to the clean-water cause and we’re proud to endorse him,” said Gil Smart, VoteWater Executive Director. “He understands how crucial clean water is to the economy of the Keys, and to Florida itself.”

Said Friedman: “As a fishing guide, our business works every day with other small business owners — gas stations, bait shops, grocers, marinas, hotels, restaurants — that all depend on the health of our local waters. We believe our water is Islamorada’s economy and we will make protecting it the priority.”

VoteWater previously endorsed Friedman during his unsuccessful 2018 run for the Florida House of Representatives.

A father of two, Friedman and his wife, Kristine, have lived in Islamorada for 25 years.

Headquartered in Stuart, VoteWater is a 501(c)(4) organization which works to empower Floridians to demand clean water and political accountability. The organization’s recently published “Dirty Money Project” tracks political giving by Big Sugar and other polluting special interests to south Florida politicians.