On Friday, eleven candidates, who were mostly incumbents, secured their positions in the legislative races as they did not face any opponents before the qualifying deadline. Meanwhile, the Florida Democratic Party achieved its objective of having candidates compete for every seat that was up for election.
Carlos Guillermo Smith of Orlando and Mack Bernard of West Palm Beach, both former House members, have secured Senate seats in the recent elections. Additionally, nine incumbent House members have won another two-year term.
Nikki Fried, Chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, expressed her enthusiasm for the party’s decision to have a candidate running in every race. This comes after decades of Republican dominance in both the House and Senate.
According to a statement by Fried, the Florida Democratic Party’s recent achievement is record-breaking and stands in stark contrast to the state of the party just a year ago, which was declared ‘dead’ by Republicans. Fried further added that this progress has given the party the necessary momentum to keep moving forward.
Evan Power, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, labeled the endeavor by the Democrats as a mere “stunt to grab attention.”
Power stated in a text message that the Florida GOP is committed to seizing victory, while Nikki Fried and the Democrats are merely fixated on a participation trophy.
Nine Democratic incumbents in the House, including Yvonne Hinson from Gainesville, Jervonte Edmonds from West Palm Beach, Kelly Skidmore from Boca Raton, Christine Hunschofsky from Parkland, Dan Daley from Coral Springs, Lisa Dunkley from Sunrise, Hillary Cassel from Dania Beach, Felicia Robinson from Miami Gardens, and Dotie Joseph from North Miami, ran unopposed in the recent election.
After serving in the House from 2016 to 2022, Smith went on to win the Senate District 17 seat held by term-limited Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando. However, he eventually lost his bid for re-election in 2022 due to the redrawing of his district.
Bernard, a former member of the House and the Palm Beach County Commission, has emerged as the sole candidate for the special election in Senate District 24 to replace Bobby Powell, who resigned from his Senate seat two years early to run for the Palm Beach County Commission.
Despite the fact that many Republicans hold incumbency and have a significant voter-registration edge, Democrats have still fielded candidates statewide. While some races may not be competitive, the Democratic Party’s strategy is to increase awareness for their candidates during a presidential election year. They also aim to force Republicans to allocate funds to races they may not have otherwise prioritized.
In a statement, Danielle Hawk, who serves as the Candidates and Campaigns Director for the Florida Democratic Party, emphasized that they will not allow Republicans to simply walk into office without being held accountable.
According to Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a former chairman of the state GOP and current Spring Hill Republican, the Democratic initiative is a futile attempt to spend money in already secure Republican seats.
After sharing his thoughts online, Ingoglia expressed that he didn’t see the recent development as a victory. He believed that it was impractical for a political party that was struggling financially.
In North Florida, the spotlight will be on Senate District 3 as the parties gear up for a showdown. Sen. Corey Simon, a former Florida State University and National Football League star, will be pitted against the victor of the Democratic primary between Daryl Parks and Kimblin Nesmith.
A significant amount of funds for the race in the vast district that covers Tallahassee has been quickly accumulated by Parks, a renowned civil-rights attorney.
In Pinellas County’s House District 60, Republicans are aiming to oust Rep. Lindsay Cross, a Democrat from St. Petersburg. Her contender is Ed Montanari, a St. Petersburg City Council member, who is vying for the Republican Party’s nomination.
There’s currently a buzz surrounding a possible “ghost” candidate for House District 106 in Miami-Dade County.
Joe Saunders, a former Democratic Representative, is currently challenging the incumbent Republican Representative Fabian Basabe of Miami Beach. However, the race has an added twist as a St. Johns County resident named Maureen Saunders Scott has also qualified to run for the seat as an independent candidate under the name Moe Saunders.
Following the 2020 elections, allegations were made against Republican political operatives in South Central and Central Florida for utilizing third-party “ghost” candidates. The intention was to create confusion among voters and siphon votes away from Democrats by running similar ads or having similar names on the ballot.
There will be some fiercely contested races in party primaries, including in Northeast Florida’s Senate District 7. This seat has become available due to Senator Travis Hutson, a Republican from St. Augustine, being term-limited.
Tom Leek, the House Appropriations Chairman from Ormond Beach, has garnered significant Republican support for his Senate race bid, with Governor Ron DeSantis among his backers. Despite this, he is facing stiff competition from two primary opponents, one of whom is the former long-time Sheriff of St. Johns County, David Shoar. The district he is vying for comprises St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, and a portion of Volusia counties.
Former Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson has successfully qualified to run for the Senate District 25 seat in Central Florida. This seat is now open due to Senator Victor Torres, D-Orlando, facing term limits. The Democratic primary will witness a competition between Carmen Torres, who happens to be Victor Torres’ spouse, Rep. Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee, and Grayson. The district encompasses Osceola County and a part of Orange County.
Randolph Bracy, a former Democratic lawmaker, has qualified to challenge Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, in Orange County’s Senate District 15, located in Central Florida.
The Republican primary in Brevard County’s House District 32 presents a battle between term-limited Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Indialantic and former Congressman Dave Weldon.
Former Democratic Representative James Bush is making a comeback to challenge Representative Ashley Gantt in the primary election for House District 109 in Miami-Dade County. Gantt had previously defeated Bush by a margin of 3.4 percentage points in the 2022 Democratic primary. The primary race also features another former Democratic Representative, Roy Hardemon.
