Jacob Ogles
Rep. Rita Harris has won a rematch with an old rival, former Rep. Daisy Morales. Harris came out on top in the House District 44 Democratic Primary, a repeat performance from two years ago.
Harris ultimately won 65% of the vote to Morales’ 35%, with nearly all votes counted. But with no other candidates filed for the House seat, the election was open to all voters living in the district, and the election is now settled. That guarantees Harris a second term in the House.
“I’m just incredibly grateful and humbled,” Harris said. “It is an honor to be trusted and to represent my community in Tallahassee. I take this honor and my job very seriously.”
In 2022, Harris unseated Morales, an Orlando Democrat. Morales, former Orange County Soil & Water Conservation District supervisor, first won election to the House in 2020, emerging from a crowded Democratic field in a deep-blue district. But two years later, the establishment in her own party had largely aligned against her.
Harris picked up endorsements from Sens. Jason Pizzo of Miami and Victor Torres of Orlando, Orlando State Attorney Monique Worrell and Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado, among others. She also landed the support of 2022 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist.
This cycle, Morales hopes to win her seat back, filing before her House term even expired in 2022. She has since attacked her opponent as “ineffective” and raised questions about Harris listing a negative net worth in financials, something Harris was credited to her husband’s assets not being included in the required disclosures.
But Morales ultimately marshaled little support, while Harris this time enjoyed the benefit of incumbency.
Harris through Aug. 15 spent nearly $78,000 on her re-election campaign. Meanwhile, Morales barely raised $1,000 in outside contributions over a nearly two-year campaign, and spent less than $1,000.
With no Republican opposition, the Primary election settled the race. Harris was among several Democrats elected to the Florida Legislature with an Aug. 20 victory.
“Congratulations to our Democratic members-elect,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried. “The House and Senate Democratic Caucuses are made up of some of the finest public servants Florida has to offer. I’m proud to see Democratic leaders returning to the Capitol and excited to see new members join the fight against the extremism coming from the Republican supermajority.
”The Florida Democratic Party is more committed than ever to breaking that supermajority — because Floridians across the political spectrum deserve better leadership than the Republican Party is offering. Florida is worth fighting for, and as we turn our attention to November, we’ll be talking to voters from Pensacola to Key West about the Democratic plan to make Florida more affordable, protect reproductive rights, and hold Ron and the Republicans accountable.”
