A.G. Gancarski
House District 12 offers yet another example of an underfunded Democrat against a Republican with every resource advantage, as two candidates have qualified for the November election.
Political newcomer Benjamin Sandlin had $740 banked as of the end of May. Incumbent Wyman Duggan is somewhat better positioned. With $3,000 raised in April and May, Duggan has more than $71,000 in hard money banked.
The Citizen’s for Building Florida’s Future political committee raised $70,000 during the same two-month period, with port operators Keystone Properties donating half that amount to aid Duggan.
The district, which crosses the St. Johns River in Southern Duval County, has roughly 10,000 more Republicans than Democrats, suggesting it should be a safe Republican hold in November.
Sandlin, aged 20, would be the youngest ever member of the Florida House if he’s elected in November.
Right now there are no other Democrats or Republicans in the mix for this seat.
Yet despite the financial disparity, Sandlin believes he has a story to tell, and a compelling argument against Duggan, based on the legislator’s support of a bill that ended civilian review boards for police that weren’t hand-picked by Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, and other bills moved by the GOP supermajority.
“The Legislature isn’t going to wait for me to get older. They haven’t waited for me to get older to (pass) ‘Don’t Say Gay’ in schools, to demonize students, demonize public school teachers. They haven’t waited until I’m older to gut the public school system in favor of private school vouchers. They haven’t waited until older to crack down on voting rights,” Sandlin said when he got into the race earlier this year.
“They don’t have much concern for my generation and they don’t seem to be hesitant in their actions. So I don’t see why I should have to be hesitant in mine. I see what I’m seeing and I think it’s wrong and I want to take a stand now.”
The field isn’t officially finalized until Friday at noon, when the qualifying period ends.
