Democratic challengers emerge in HD 49, HD 95

democrats

Two very different state House seats drew new Democratic challengers last week and on Monday, according to filings with the Florida Division of Elections.

State Rep. Rene Plasencia, a Republican from the Orlando area, will face at least one challenger from the other side of the aisle in his quest for a third term representing the closely competitive District 49, consisting of part of Orange County along the I-4 corridor in the center of the state.

The district offers Democrats a voter registration advantage, but Plasencia  knocked off then-Rep. Joe Saunders last year amid low turnout in the November midterms.

Democrats there hope Augustin “Gus” Martinez, who runs a religious charity aiding the homeless, can rally the Democratic faithful. Saunders told SaintPetersblog last month he is considering a run in his old seat, a race where  he would immediately become the Democrats’ frontrunner.

Meanwhile in a race with a very different electoral complexion, two Democrats are engaged in a primary to succeed term-limited Rep. Hazelle “Hazel” Rogers in deep-blue District 95, based in Broward County’s Lauderdale Lakes.

Patrick Jabouin Sr. has opened a campaign account to run there, joining fellow Democrat Roxanne Valies, who filed paperwork to run for the House in March.

Jabouin was a community outreach liaison with Broward Sheriff Scott Israel‘s office as of 2013. He is also a former president of the Caribbean American Democratic Club of Broward County, according to Brittany Wallman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

(Update 5/20: Story was revised to reflect that Martinez is running in District 49, not District 39 as was originally reported in his Division of Elections paperwork.)

Ryan Ray

Ryan Ray covers politics and public policy in North Florida and across the state. He has also worked as a legislative researcher and political campaign staffer. He can be reached at [email protected].



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