Scott Powers
Democratic nominee Fred Marra has temporarily suspended his campaign for Florida’s House District 29.
Marra confirmed in a text to FloridaPolitics.com Thursday afternoon that he was doing so “until we can sort things out,” but would not elaborate. He said he has not dropped out. He said he would release more information about his status and the reasons behind it soon.
Marra was challenging incumbent Republican state Rep. Scott Plakon in the Altamonte Springs-based district that had flipped between Republicans and Democrats in each of the past two elections, though its voter base is more Republican.
“This campaign has never been about me, but about Plakon’s voting for fracking, against Medicaid expansion and other issues facing Florida,” Marra wrote Thursday afternoon.
Marra had done very little fundraising and almost no campaigning until recently, and so had, at any rate, an uphill battle to take on Plakon, who had served two terms, lost a re-election bid, switched districts, then won and served a third term. Plakon’s campaign has almost $50,000 and Marra’s less than $1,000 in the latest reports.
Plakon himself had taken much of the past couple of months off from significant campaigning due to a family crisis, though his campaign has operated through staff and supporters. He declined Wednesday to comment on Marra.
