Ryan Nicol
Broward County Commissioner and former Mayor Barbara Sharief is endorsing immigration attorney Maureen Porras in the Democratic primary for House District 105.
“Maureen is the leader that we need in Tallahassee,” Sharief said in a statement.
“Her hard work and dedication has made a difference in countless people’s lives. She will undoubtedly fight for her community in the same way that she has fought for families and the underprivileged for the last 11 years. I am confident that she will be a strong voice for her community and an advocate for all of us in Tallahassee.”
Porras is competing for the Democratic nod against former HD 105 candidate Javier Estevez. Estevez lost the 2018 election to now-state Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez by just 417 votes.
Rodriguez, however, is pursuing a Senate seat this cycle. Porras filed to compete in the now-open HD 105 contest in November.
“It is a great honor to receive an endorsement from Commissioner Sharief, who has been a dedicated public servant to her community and Broward County for many years,” Porras said.
“As a first-time candidate, her knowledge and experience will be a great asset to our campaign and we are excited to have her counsel and support to help flip this seat!”
Three GOP candidates — Bibiana Potestad, J. David Borrero and Pedro Barrios — have also filed in the contest.
Potestad has led the field in fundraising, adding more than $135,000 since August. Borrero is behind with more than $94,000.
Porras has added just under $21,000 to her campaign. New Leadership for Florida, a political committee supporting her bid, has raised more than $16,000 since November as well.
That puts her ahead of Estevez, who has pulled in just under $21,000 since April. Barrios reported less than $3,000 in donations.
Candidates face a Wednesday, June 10 deadline to report additional financial numbers through May.
HD 105 covers parts of Miami-Dade, Broward and Collier counties.
