Anna Paulina Luna, a representative from Florida, is known for being a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, yet she is now aligning herself with Democrats. The 34-year-old, who is a new mother, is advocating for the rights of young parents and proposing the option for them to vote remotely.
A mother’s struggle or a female politician’s fight?
A staunch defender of conservative values, Luna openly supports the Second Amendment, which allows American citizens to bear arms. Like many of her colleagues, she refuses to acknowledge Donald Trump’s 2020 election defeat. Luna describes herself as “pro-life,” and has consistently advocated for the prohibition of abortion. She was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022 and re-elected in 2024. During the COVID-19 pandemic, members of Congress were allowed to vote by proxy, but the rules are clear: one must be physically present to vote. However, Luna, having given birth to her son in 2023, believes there should be an exception for young parents.
Luna gave birth to her child at the end of 2023, yet she still went to the House with her baby in tow to participate in the election of the new Speaker of the House. Balancing family life and political life is a challenge that Luna knows all too well. During a press conference, the Florida representative proposed a change to the House rules. She stated, “To date, only 12 women in history have given birth while serving in this body,” emphasizing that Congress is “out of touch with the average American.” Luna’s proposal is simple: allow young parents (both mothers and fathers) 12 full weeks of remote voting. The idea stems from her own experience. After her pregnancy, she suffered significant complications and was unable to vote on several federal budget issues due to her health.
Johnson’s rejection and support from democrats
Mike Johnson, the newly re-elected Speaker of the House, opposes this exception. This opposition is surprising, especially for a Republican who calls himself “pro-family.” It’s a contradiction that Luna points out. “I don’t think it’s right that leaders, especially Republican leaders, who tout being pro-family, are so anti-family,” she said. The Speaker, on the other hand, argues that such a change would be unconstitutional: “I fear this wouldn’t align with the language of the Constitution, and that’s the inescapable truth.” Luna describes this response as “a cop-out,” arguing that since the House allowed remote voting during the COVID-19 pandemic, it should be possible to reinstate the system for specific cases, such as the birth of a child.
While Luna faces resistance from the Speaker of the House, she finds support from several Democrats. Her main ally in this effort is Brittany Petersen, a member of the Democratic Party. Together, they plan to push forward with this initiative through a petition. It’s an unusual move, as it’s rare for a representative to take such a step against their own leadership. Petersen is not the only Democrat to back this project. Representative Sara Jacobs has openly expressed her support. She confided that she has delayed her own plans to become a mother because of her responsibilities as a representative. “I knew that freezing my eggs was easier than having a child during this time,” the Democrat said. For men, it’s less complicated to balance career and family, but Democrat Jared Moskowitz also supports this rule change. “As times change, the rules of the House must change as well,” he argued, adding, “Parents who are taking care of their children during the first 30 days should be allowed to vote by proxy.”