Susan Clary
In just a few short months, the race to replace Congressman Alan Grayson in Washington has become an anomaly. The Democratic primary pits state Sen. Darren Soto of Orlando against longtime progressive activist Susannah Randolph.
At the end of their first fundraising quarter, numbers released by the Federal Elections Commission this week show Soto edged out Randolph raising $184K to her $170K. Both candidates have come out of the gate strong in the CD9 race.
But what makes this contest more compelling than any congressional race on the ballot this season is the pure political intrigue.
Until recently, Randolph worked as Grayson’s district director and ran two of his campaigns for Congress. Soon after Randolph left Grayson’s employ in July, Grayson’s girlfriend Dr. Dena Marie Minning, who has no previous political experience, jumped into the race.
On top of that, Randolph’s husband, Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph, formerly a state Representative, worked closely in the Legislature with Soto and was active in Soto’s first campaigns for State Representative. Remember that oft-quoted phrase “there are no friends in politics.”
“It’s not unusual for primaries to be family affairs since they draw in Democrats of all stripes,” said Soto, who is one of only two candidates who have served in elected office. “We have had the privilege of representing the people of the district in the House and Senate. I want to maintain my support there.”
Many in Central Florida progressive circles believe a fourth candidate, former state Rep. Ricardo Rangel, who served one term before a fellow Democrat defeated him, filed to run in an effort to dilute the Hispanic vote, which would otherwise go to Soto. Soto said he isn’t worried about Rangel, who raised $19K and has $3,000 cash on hand. Rangel did not respond to requests for comment.
As for Minning, federal records show she raised $85K in her first quarter, a respectable amount, including $5400 from Grayson, the federal limit for an election cycle, and $1,800 from his mother, Dorothy Grayson. It isn’t known if Minning is running as a placeholder for Grayson or as a slight to Randolph. Minning didn’t respond to requests for comment.
That’s a question you are going to have ask Alan,” said Randolph, who said she is focused on building a grassroots movement in the heart of the I-4 corridor. “I could sit here all day wondering what he thinks. Ultimately, it’s up to the voters to decide.”
Records show that a fifth candidate, former Osceola County Democratic Party Chair Valleri Crabtree, who filed late last year and has been in the race the longest, raised $23K and has $1K cash on hand. Crabtree said she thinks she has an advantage as someone who has never run for office and is not a “political operative.”
“I don’t pay attention to the drama because my time is spent getting out into the community, meeting people and building relationships,” said Crabtree, an attorney and professor. “Everyone else entered the race when Alan dropped out while I’ve been there from the very start.”
Congressman Grayson announced in July he would run for U.S. Senate, which opened up his seat in the U.S. House. The current district, which leans Democrat, currently includes southeast Orange County, Osceola County and parts of Polk County. D9 borders are expected to change as state courts consider proposed redistricting maps.
With ten months before the August 30, 2016 primary, local Democrats and deep-pocketed contributors have begun to pick sides between Soto and Randolph.
Impressively, both Soto and Randolph reported multiple individual contributors who gave at the $2,700 limit per election for campaigns.
Soto’s list of 19 maxed out contributors includes Charles and Jess Bailes, owners of ABC Liquors; Attorney Mike Morgan of Morgan & Morgan; Troy Rafferty, past President of Florida Justice Association; Monte Friedkin, former Palm Beach County Democratic Party Chair; and Jay Rosario, owner of Wesley Chapel Nissan.
Randolph’s list of 23 maxed out contributors includes Edith and Edward Haddock, Jr., CEO of Full Sail University and his wife; Rosalie Danbury, whose late husband founded a global research company; and several national donors and members of the Democracy Alliance – Christopher Findlater, Lawrence and Suzanne Hess, Vincent Ryan and Paul Rudd. Powerful state lobbyist Ron Book and his wife Patricia contributed $2500 apiece.
Randolph received $7,420 from three Political Action Committees (PACs) Democracy for America, Progressive Change Campaign Committee and United Association of Political Education Committee. Soto received $23,000 from ten PACs including Latino Victory Fund, Painters and Firefighters unions and agricultural interests like the Cattleman’s, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, and Florida Citrus.
Minning’s finance report reads like a who’s who of physicians, professors, scientists, engineers and clinical researchers – evidence of her background as a medical doctor and biochemist. Minning has not granted any interviews regarding her candidacy or her relationship with Grayson.
Unless other candidates file to run between now and qualifying, the winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican businessman Wayne Liebnitzky, of St. Cloud, in the general election. But Liebnitzky, who filed to run last year, has not reported any fundraising for 2015.
