Scott Powers
Democratic former state Sen. Geraldine Thompson is back, grabbing a House District from Republican state Rep. Bobby Olszewski that once was considered such safe Republican seat that no previous Democrat has ever been competitive.
Thompson claimed House District 44, covering suburban southwestern Orange County Tuesday night, defeating Olszewski by 2,000 votes and a 51 percent to 49 percent spread.
In her victory speech, Thompson declared that no Democrat, no woman, and no African-American candidate had ever had a chance there before, but “now you’ve got the trifecta!”
“This particular race shows we are moving to the point where we are knocking doors down, we are breaking the barriers,” Thompson said.
Despite being outspent five to one in the campaign, she returns to Tallahassee after previously serving in the Florida House in another district, and the in the Florida Senate in Senate District 11, which covers much of the same area, stretching from Winter Garden and Ocoee down through Windermere an Dr. Phillips and to the Orlando theme parks and tourist districts.
“It’s about serving everybody rather than just the special interests,” Thompson pledged.
Olszewski won the seat just 13 months ago in a special election.
