Mitch Perry
Orange County Republican Comptroller Martha Haynie is endorsing Democrat Susannah Randolph in the CD 9 race taking place next year.
“We need elected officials who will listen to people, and help citizens have faith that they will do what they say they will do, ” said Haynie in a press release. “Susannah is in this race for the things that we both believe in, and I believe that no one will work harder in Congress to do the right thing for us than Susannah.”
The endorsement is definitely a boost to Randolph’s chances in the contest to succeed Alan Grayson in the CD 9 seat, which encompasses much of south and eastern Orange County, all of Osceola County, and northeast Polk County. She’s a longtime political activist and former aide to Grayson.
Haynie is stepping down next year after serving in office since 1988. She’s known as a Republican with independent leanings, having previously served as chair of Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando, created a county domestic-partnership registry and received the Voice for Equality award from the gay-rights group Equality Florida.
Those stances aren’t simpatico with some members of her party, which is why the Orlando Sentinel reported that in 2013, Haynie said she might not have run on the GOP ticket if she ran again.
It’s a crowded field for the Democratic nomination next year. In addition to Randolph, there’s also Orlando state Senator Darren Soto, former state Representative Ricardo Rangel, former Osceola County Democratic chair Valleri Crabtree and biomedical researcher Dena Minning, who also happens to be Grayson’s girlfriend.
Among those backing Randolph include attorney John Morgan, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and State House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford.
“I can’t think of anyone who has looked out more for the interests of taxpayers in Orange County over the last quarter century,” Randolph said in a statement announcing the Haynie endorsement. “And Marty has taught me so much as we worked closely over the years to fight for LGBT rights, and protecting women’s reproductive rights.”
