Chris King backs Patricia Sigman in SD 9

Patricia Sigman takes the lead in the latest round of the money race.

Former Lieutenant Governor nominee Chris King is endorsing Democrat Patricia Sigman in the packed Democratic primary for the open seat in Senate District 9.

Sigman, an employment and labor lawyer from Altamonte Springs, is one of five Democrats seeking a shot in SD 9, which has been controlled by Republicans for decades, but appears to be trending purple at the same time Republican Sen. David Simmons prepares to leave due to term limits.

Sigman has been rolling up endorsements and money from the Democratic establishment, as the candidate preferred by party insiders to battle with Republican former state Rep. Jason Brodeur for the district covering Seminole County and parts of southern Volusia County.

King, of Winter Park, also was a gubernatorial candidate in 2018 before he lost the primary and became Andrew Gillum‘s pick as a running mate.

“Even before the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, working families across our state, but especially here in Central Florida, have faced a crisis when it comes to finding affordable housing,” King said in a news release issued by the Senate Victory Fund. “Big problems demand courageous actions from our leaders. Patricia Sigman has shown that she is dedicated to working with experts, listening to the needs of our communities, and fighting for real solutions to address these issues. That’s why she has my endorsement for Florida Senate District 9.”

Sigman faces lawyer Alexis Carter of Altamonte Springs, engineer Rick Ashby of Oviedo, health care worker Guerdy Remy of Altamonte Springs, and former Seminole County Soil and Water District Supervisor H. Duncan Alexander of Geneva in the August 18 primary.

“As we address the new realities we all now face, we must listen to the voice of leaders like Chris King who have worked tirelessly to confront the biggest issues facing our state,” Sigman said in a statement.

“As the next state Senator from District 9, I am committed to fighting to fully fund the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund every year, looking for innovative ways to focus on urban renewal that generate affordable housing from our existing infrastructure, and to ensure that our policies mandate smart growth that limit sprawl and respect our environmental boundaries. I could not be more proud to partner with Chris King on solving the affordable housing crisis in Florida.”