Drew Wilson
Author and child advocate Lauren Book has drawn an opponent in her campaign for Sen. Eleanor Sobel’s Senate District 33 seat.
Davie Democrat Emmanuel Blimie filed Wednesday, setting up a primary in the left-leaning seat. The candidates have more in common than just their senate aspirations. Like Book, Blimie is also an author and founder of a non-profit organization.
The Liberian-born candidate runs ROLTE — “Reach Out Locally Together and Educate” — an organization that aims to connect student leaders across the globe to empower them to educate their communities on health issues. The Nova Southeastern alumnus’ books, which include a guide to “striking it rich,” were put out through online self-publisher Lulu.
Similarities aside, Blimie’s candidacy doesn’t pose much of a threat to Book, who has received an outpouring of support from a long list of South Florida elected officials as well as DNC chair and US Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.
The Lauren’s Kids head also has an insurmountable lead in the money race. Though Book’s campaign account didn’t post any contributions for August, her political committee, Leadership for Broward is sitting pretty with $663,450 on-hand, nearly as much as the combined tally for Sobel’s 2008 and 2012 senate campaigns.
The Broward County district is one of the heavier Democratic advantages in the state, too About half of the district’s voters are registered Democrats, with the other half split down the middle between Republicans and independents, so Book shouldn’t face any real opposition from the GOP. Juan Selaya, the only Republican to run since the district was redrawn, took about 32 percent of the vote in 2012.
