Frank Torres
State Rep. Tom Goodson wants to remind voters he’ll be running in House District 51 next year.
Goodson. a Titusville Republican who represents District 50, sent out a news release Tuesday afternoon:
Despite what the pundits are saying, I want to make it clear that I am running for the Florida House of Representatives in District 51, and I will not seek election in House District 50. I have greatly enjoyed representing east Orange and north Brevard counties these past three years and will continue to do so until the end of my term. However, with Speaker Crisafulli’s term-limited departure in 2016, central Brevard needs a new leader, and I plan to offer myself as a candidate. This is the district where Evelyn and I raised our family and built a business I am proud of.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve the Brevard residents I’ve known so well for many years.
Goodson was part of a three-district shuffle that recently had him filing for District 51 next year to succeed termed-out House Speaker Steve Crisafulli. The move opened up Goodson’s conservative District 50 for fellow Republican House colleague Rene Plasencia, an underdog for re-election in 2016 in the left-leaning House District 49 he now represents.
State Sen. Thad Altman recently filed to run in House 51 in 2018, fueling speculation Goodson could retreat to HD 50, reversing the entire process.
It’s unclear whether Altman and Goodson would run against each other. Goodson hasn’t ruled out other options before, when he briefly considered a run for State Senate in District 13 before opting to seek HD 51.
