Ryan Nicol
Republican Rep. Holly Raschein is backing Ana Maria Rodriguez in Senate District 39.
Raschein’s announcement is unsurprising, given Rodriguez is the only Republican currently filed in the contest. Javier Fernández and Daniel Horton-Diaz are competing in the Democratic primary, while Celso Alfonso is running as a non-party affiliated candidate.
Raschein currently represents House District 120, but is barred from seeking reelection due to term limits. HD 120 spans Monroe County and parts of southern Miami-Dade County, covering much of the same territory as SD 39.
“Ana Maria Rodriguez is the only choice for South Florida and Florida Keys voters who want effective representation in the Florida Senate,” Raschein said Thursday.
“Ana Maria has been a dedicated advocate on a range of issues important to South Florida, especially the Florida Keys, including the environment and water quality, business and the economy, tourism management, and disaster preparedness and relief. She has the experience, relationships, and work ethic to ensure South Floridians’ have a strong voice in the state Legislature. For those reasons and many more, she has my full support.”
There is still a brief window for a Republican challenger to emerge in SD 39. The state legislative qualifying period ends Friday, June 12 at noon.
“I am proud and honored to have the support of Rep. Raschein,” Rodriguez added.
“Holly has been a vocal champion and effective advocate for South Florida throughout her service in the Florida House and I look forward to continuing that legacy and the good work she has done when I serve in the Florida Senate.”
Rodriguez has led the race in overall fundraising. Fernández, however, topped Rodriguez in May fundraising, according to reports filed Wednesday.
The Fernández campaign added more than $33,000. Florida Future, a political committee affiliated with the Fernández campaign, collected another $70,000.
Rodriguez raised less than $3,000 for her campaign, but pulled in another $45,000 through her political committee, Ethics and Honesty in Government.
