Scott Powers
Susannah Randolph has qualified to appear on the August 30 primary ballot as a Democratic candidate for Orlando-based Congressional District 9 by submitting enough petition signatures of registered voters, her campaign announced Thursday.
Randolph became the first Democratic candidate to qualify by petition in the race. Her primary opponent state Sen. Darren Soto’s campaign announced earlier that he was on the verge of qualifying.
“The amount of grassroots support we have received from the community has been overwhelming,” Randolph stated in a news release issued Thursday. “Central Florida deserves a representative who will not simply vote the right way, but who will be a champion for the issues that affect them every day. I look forward to being that voice in Washington.”
Florida law requires candidates to either pay a $10,440 fee or submit 2,298 petitions signed by valid Florida voters, to place their names on the August ballot. Randolph’s people-powered campaign filed more than 2,700 petitions. The Division of Elections verified Randolph’s petitions today.
Randolph and Soto are in a primary race with other Democrats as well, including Valleri Crabtree, Dr. Dena Minning and Ricardo Rangel.
On the Republican side, Kissimmee Vice Mayor Wanda Rentas, Wayne Liebnitzky and Terry Howard have filed.
All seek to succeed Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando, who is running for Florida’s open U.S. Senate seat rather than for re-election.
