Gray Rohrer
Five months before the General Election, nearly 19% of the 2022-24 Legislature is already seated.
At least 30 candidates for office secured victory on Friday, the last day of qualifying for legislative races, when no one else signed up to challenge them. There are 24 in the House and six in the Senate, and all but five of them are Republicans.
More could end up unopposed as the Division of Elections works through the last-minute paperwork — or lack thereof — as candidates submitted their papers to the office to meet Friday’s noon deadline.
For example, the Division of Elections website shows Sen. Debbie Mayfield, a Melbourne Republican, has a Democratic opponent, Janelle Renee Khargie, who is listed as “active.” Records show Khargie signed her intention to run in January 2021, but hasn’t filed campaign finance reports and was fined $50 by the Florida Elections Commission last month for failing to do so. If Khargie didn’t pay the qualifying fee in time, Mayfield will take office without having to run.
In another race, Democrat Veysal Dokur initially signed up to enter the House District 12 race against incumbent Rep. Wyman Duggan, but switched Thursday to Senate District 12, to take on Rep. Colleen Burton, a Lakeland Republican eyeing a move to the Senate.
Here is the list of candidates without opponents:
Senate District 23 – Sen. Danny Burgess, Zephyrhills Republican
Senate District 28 – Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, Naples Republican
Senate District 29 – Rep. Erin Grall, Vero Beach Republican
Senate District 31 – Sen. Gayle Harrell, Stuart Republican
Senate District 37 – Sen. Jason Pizzo, Miami Democrat
Senate District 40 – Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, Miami Republican
House District 4 – Rep. Patt Maney, Shalimar Republican
House District 7 – Rep. Jason Shoaf, Port St. Joe Republican
House District 10 – Rep. Chuck Brannan, Macclenny Republican
House District 12 – Rep. Wyman Duggan, Jacksonville Republican
House District 18 – Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, St. Johns County Republican
House District 24 – Rep. Joe Harding, Williston Republican
House District 27 – Rep. Stan McClain, Ocala Republican
House District 31 – Rep. Tyler Sirois, Merritt Island Republican
House District 49 – Rep. Melony Bell, Fort Meade Republican
House District 63 – Rep. Dianne Hart, Tampa Democrat
House District 71 – Rep. Will Robinson, Bradenton Republican
House District 75 – Rep. Michael Grant, Port Charlotte Republican
House District 76 – Rep. Spencer Roach, North Fort Myers Republican
House District 79 – Rep. Michael Giallombardo, Cape Coral Republican
House District 81 – Rep. Bob Rommel, Naples Republican
House District 82 – Rep. Lauren Melo, Naples Republican
House District 83 – Rep. Kaylee Tuck, Lake Placid Republican
House District 95 – Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, Parkland Democrat
House District 102 – Rep. Michael Gottlieb, Davie Democrat
House District 104 – Rep. Felicia Robinson, Miami Gardens Democrat
House District 110 – Rep. Tom Fabricio, Miramar Republican
House District 111 – Rep. David Borrero, Sweetwater Republican
House District 112 – Rep. Alejandro Rizo, Hialeah Republican
House District 116 – Rep. Danny Perez, Miami Republican
6 comments
Enough. . .already
June 17, 2022 at 4:47 pm
“. . .and all but five of them are Republicans.”
I believe that is evidence sufficient to prove that, despite the endless grousing and nitpicking and scandalmongering of the mainstream media here, Florida voters like the job Republicans have done and want them to do more.
Okay then...
June 17, 2022 at 9:12 pm
I can’t tell if you are being serious or not. If you are serious, don’t you know that correlation does not equal causation? Can’t you imagine any other reasons why Republicans might not be facing opposition? Besides, these candidates aren’t even facing opposition from within their own party. Is that because they are doing such a good job, or because they’re entrenched in the Swamp?
If you were joking, then good job, you got me!
Enough already. . .puhleeze!
June 18, 2022 at 7:13 am
Nope, not joking. Your kind of sophistry is just a step above the smoke-and-mirrors rhetoric of our frenz on the left. Correlation may not always equal causation, but to argue like this reminds me of those who say “the shooter was present at the crime, but the deaths were caused by the gun.” Are you an ACLU lawyer or sumthin’? Sound like one.
Okey dokey
June 18, 2022 at 8:58 am
Why did it have to be an ACLU lawyer? You hit me where it hurts! Although you called me out on my argument technique, of course you didn’t defend your original statement because you can’t. My local R is on this list, but the fact that nobody is running against her doesn’t signify my approval… or anybody else’s. Just because I don’t want to vote for a D, doesn’t mean that I approve of the R. Your argument just gives cover to the Swamp creatures to do whatever they want, because nobody ran against them, so then everybody must approve right? They don’t have to be good, just less worse than the alternative. That’s why primary opponents are a good thing, but you think no primary opponents is a sign of a successful government. My advice to everyone is to stop giving cover and start asking questions.
EA
June 18, 2022 at 4:01 pm
Why did I say ACLU? Because this kind of argumentation–straining at gnats while ignoring the larger truths of real politics–is just the way liberals roll in their endless quest to undermine public faith in today’s America. But to address our discussion directly: no, of course correlation is not causation in specific cases. For example, I may think one or more of those unopposed representatives is a POOR representative, and poor representatives sometimes are re-elected without opposition in spite of the fact they are so poor. But, considering the present reality of Florida politics, the fact that so many of these Republicans were elected is evidence that, broad speaking, Floridians accept the Republican philosophy and method–else there would been fewer cases in which our opponents would have been unable to muster sufficient emotional energy among their ranks to send somebody–anybody–into a race.
NAncy
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