Democrats tap Stacey Peters as replacement nominee in SD 5

Stacey Peters

Levy County Democratic State Committeewoman Stacey Peters is expected to be the replacement nominee in Senate District 5.

Peters will stand in for Melina Rayna Svanhild Farley-Barratt, the Democratic nominee for the seat who died last week. Farley-Barratt had been a prominent transgender activist who served as legislative director for the National Organization for Women’s Florida chapter.

Sources at the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida, which has been instrumental in recruiting progressive candidates this year, said Peters had been selected by party leaders in the district as a replacement.

Florida law allows party leadership to name such a replacement in the event a Democratic nominee dies or withdraws. Officials with the party selected Peters Monday night.

Since ballots have already been printed for the Nov. 3 election, Farley-Barratt’s name will still appear on the ballot. But all votes cast for the Democrat will be awarded to Peters.

A party bio says Peters is a Florida native and mother of five. She has worked as a paralegal and realtor.

“I experienced the sting of gender inequality in the professional workplace,” she writes in her bio. “I know firsthand how critically important good health care and a functioning social safety net are for the well-being of our nation.”

In addition to her state committee position, Peters founded the Levy chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus. She serves now as president of the Democratic Women’s Club of Levy County.

Peters became politically active following the 2016 election.

She will face Fleming Island Republican Jennifer Bradley. A local attorney and business owner, she’s married now to the current occupant of the seat, Sen. Rob Bradley.

As of book closing for the General Election, SD 5 served as home to 189,200 registered Republicans 91,580 Democrats and 65,277 independents. That means Bradley remains the heavy favorite for the Nov. 3 election.

Peters must pay a qualification fee to secure her candidacy with the Florida Division of Elections.