Jacob Ogles
Three Democrats whose names are well known to Central Florida voters are fighting for a state Senate seat.
State Rep. Kristen Arrington, a Kissimmee Democrat, hopes for a promotion to the upper chamber. Community leader Carmen Torres would like to succeed her husband, retiring state Sen. Vic Torres, in representing Senate District 25. Both battled over the last year for the office before former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson shook things up with a late entry to the race.
Voters in an Aug. 20 Democratic Party will decide which of the three carries the party banner in a November General Election. There, the Democratic nominee should have an edge based on party registration. But Republicans hope to turn that race competitive as well.
Arrington is no stranger to a political battle. She emerged from a six-Democrat Primary field in 2020 to win a Florida House seat, then cruised to re-election with 58% of the vote to Republican Christian de la Torre’s 39% in 2022.
That was hardly her first introduction to politics. She is married to Osceola County Commissioner Brandon Arrington, and mother-in-law Mary Jane Arrington has served as Osceola County’s Supervisor of Elections for years. Arrington also served as a political consultant in the region for more than a decade before running herself.
“I grew up right here in Osceola,” Kristen Arrington said in a campaign ad. “This community means so much to me. That’s why I first ran for office and why everyday I’m fighting the extremists in Tallahassee putting us all at risk.”
Torres, an Orlando Democrat, also has been part of a political dynasty in the region. Husband Vic has served in the Florida Senate since 2016, and before then spent two terms in the Florida House. Additionally, the couple’s daughter, Amy Mercado, serves as Orange County Property Appraiser.
Before coming to Florida, Carmen and Victor Torres both served in the New York Police Department. In the Sunshine State, she stayed active in union politics, whether for law enforcement groups like the Patrol Benevolent Association or other organizations, including the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. She is counting on the longtime advocacy and work for progressive organizations to carry the day among Democratic voters.
“I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the voters in this district and all the union organizations, Democratic clubs and elected officials that are supporting my campaign,” Torres said. “I am confident the voters will make the right decision in this election and I look forward to serving as the next Senator.”
The race became considerably more complicated, though, with the last-minute entry of Grayson, one of Florida’s best-known Democrats for more than a decade. The Orlando Democrat had filed to challenge U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, but he abandoned that run, acknowledging the difficulty in quickly amassing the financial resources to challenge a Republican incumbent.
He instead has largely self-financed his Senate campaign. But his biggest asset in this race may be his name recognition representing Central Florida in Congress.
He first won a term in Washington in 2008, unseating Republican U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, though he served just a term before Republican U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster ousted him in 2010. But Grayson ran again in a Democratic leaning seat in 2012, representing a district that covered parts of Osceola and Orange counties. In 2016, he left his seat for an ultimately failed U.S. Senate run.
Rather than pursue a return trip to Washington, he now has his name on the ballot in the smallest district in which he has ever campaigned. He has reported little in outside contributions, but has spent more than $119,000, fueled entirely by a six-figure candidate loan.
His message is simple: “Higher pay. Lower taxes. Lower insurance. Lower tolls. Because we’re all in this together,” Grayson told Florida Politics.
Throughout the race, Arrington has proven to be the strongest fundraiser. Through Aug. 2, she had spent nearly $187,000, and the Friends of Arringtons committee pumped another $300,000 in spending over the course of the election cycle.
Torres, meanwhile, reported just over $55,000 in spending through the same time period, but had more than $60,000 on hand in her official account at that point. A Torres-controlled committee, Latino Rising, has spent more than $47,000 since the last election wrapped.
As the Democratic Primary unfolds, Republicans in the district have another nomination fight underway. Osceola County School Board member John Arguello faces Jose Martinez, owner of a cellphone franchise, in a GOP Primary to be settled the same day. Martinez spent more than $79,000 leading into the Primary, while Arguello pumped out $40,000 before the last reporting deadline.
As of March, the district’s nearly 114,000 registered Democrats outnumbered more than 74,000 Republicans substantially, while more than 103,000 no-party voters also remained on the rolls. But Republicans felt bolstered when Vic Torres won his last re-election bid in 2022 with less than 53% of the vote despite the state GOP devoting few resources to the race.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he wished the party would have competed for the district then. So it’s likely that for whoever wins the Democratic nomination, the fight will continue in the Fall.
