Scott Powers
Darren Soto‘s Democratic colleagues in the Florida Senate are coming to his aid for his run for Congress in Orlando-based Congressional District 9
The Senate Democratic Caucus and almost all of its 14 members individually are endorsing Soto, a Florida senator from Orlando, his congressional campaign announced Thursday.
“We’ve worked with Darren and know him as an effective legislator in the Florida Senate,” Caucus President state Sen. Gwen Margolis of Miami stated in a news release issued by Soto’s campaign. “Darren has the work ethic and cooperative attitude to represent Central Florida well and succeed in a chaotic Congress.”
The holdouts for Soto are Democratic state Sen. Dwight Bullard of Cutler Bay and Sen. Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood. Bullard has his hands full for re-election in a redistricted Senate District 40 that is no longer a Democratic-leaning seat, and he has a tough opponent in Republican state Rep. Frank Artiles. Sobel is running for mayor of Hollywood.
Soto has his own tough fight in CD 9, which leans strongly Democratic. Other Democrats running in CD 9 include Susannah Randolph and Dr. Dena Minning, both of Orlando, who are exceeding or running close to Soto’s campaign fundraising. Also in that race is Kissimmee businesswoman Valleri Crabtree.
The incumbent, Democratic U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando, who is Minning’s fiancé and Randolph’s ex-boss, is running for the U.S. Senate rather than for re-election.
“When you fight in the trenches alongside someone you get to know their true character,” Florida Senate Minority Leader Designate state Sen. Oscar Braynon of Miami Gardens stated. “We know Darren Soto. Darren is a fighter – a champion for Florida’s people and environment – but he’s a fighter who knows how to get important things done.”
