Scott Powers
Republican Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Robyn Hattaway has received the endorsement of former Republican Rep. Rene Plasencia for her run in House District 30.
Until he resigned last month, Plasencia, of Orlando, represented much of the area now included in the newly drawn HD 30 for three terms, and she had campaigned for his past elections.
Hattaway, a Merritt Island lawyer, is running against Republican Port Orange City Council member Chase Tramont in the August Republican Primary Election for HD 30.
The new HD 30 spans Hattaway’s region of northern Brevard County including Titusville and Mims, and Tramont’s region of southeastern Volusia County, including Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater. The district was carved from three current districts, represented by Plasencia in Brevard, and Republican Reps. Webster Barnaby and Elizabeth Fetterhoff in Volusia. The redistricting process put Barnaby and Fetterhoff into a faceoff for the new House District 29 seat in western Volusia.
“I had the honor of serving many of the people in the area of District 30 through my time in the House. I know the kind of leader we need to represent us and the kind of person it takes to be successful in Tallahassee — Robyn meets both qualities,” Plasencia said in a news release issued by Hattaway’s campaign. “Robyn knows how to put her constituents first, because she has already done it on the Port Authority.”
In the release, Hattaway noted that she worked with Plasencia, Republican Rep. Tyler Sirois from adjacent House District 31, and the Brevard County School Board to found the Junior Port Ambassador Program, connecting area high school students to career paths at Port Canaveral.
“Rep. Plasencia served our area with compassion and principle for eight years. My kids and I were honored to knock doors and campaign for him in his last three campaigns. If I am elected to serve as the next state Representative for this district, I will strive to be as knowledgeable and approachable to our constituents,” Hattaway vowed in the release.
HD 30 appears to have a strong Republican lean, based on results of the past two General Elections. There are no Democrats filed yet to run there.
