Scott Powers
Former Ambassador and former Democratic nominee for Congress Nancy Soderberg is endorsing Dolores Guzman for the open seat in House District 27
Guzman, of Deltona, is an elected member of the West Volusia Hospital Authority board. She is the only Democrat running for the seat being vacated by term-limited Republican Rep. David Santiago, also of Deltona. There are three Republicans seeking the seat, which represents much of western and southern Volusia County.
Soderberg lost the 2018 election for Florida’s 6th Congressional district 56%-44% to Republican Rep. Michael Waltz. The district includes all of Volusia County, plus portions of Lake, Flagler and St. Johns counties.
Soderberg’s nod is the campaign’s first major endorsement.
“I strongly endorse Dolores Guzman for Volusia County’s House District 27. She knows how to address the urgent needs of the community for affordable health care, quality education, affordable housing, and addressing climate change,” Soderberg wrote in a news release.
“She brings a deep understanding of the needs of the district through her decades of leadership as an insurance agent, a caretaker, and an Affordable Care Act navigator. She founded the Volusia County Democratic Party Hispanic Caucus and has worked tirelessly on voter registration drives and is passionate about helping those in need,” Soderberg continued. “She knows how to win, having secured a seat on the West Volusia Hospital Authority in 2018. No one is better qualified or will work harder for the needs of the people.”
In 2018 Guzman won the seat on the West Volusia Hospital Authority board by defeating Republican Webster Barnaby with 55% of the vote. She said she was able to do so even though he outspent her by about eight to one. More votes were cast in that election, about 75,000, than in the HD 27 election that year.
Barnaby is one of three Republicans seeking Santiago’s seat. The others are Erika Benfield of DeBary and Zenaida Denizac of Deltona.
