Republicans won’t name replacement nominee against Andrew Bain, Monique Worrell

The Republican Party of Florida won’t name a replacement nominee in a high-profile Central Florida State Attorney race.

RPOF Chair Evan Power notified Secretary of State Cord Byrd that the party will instead not run a candidate in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit.

“This letter is to inform you that the members of the Republican State Executive Committee from Orange and Osceola counties voted unanimously to decline to designate a Republican nominee to fill the vacancy,” Power wrote in an official letter.

The message was delivered a day after Seth Hyman withdrew from the race against Democrat Monique Worrell and no-party-affiliated candidate Andrew Bain.

Hyman has run with the endorsement of Republican executive committees in both Orange and Osceola counties, the two counties in the jurisdiction. He defeated attorney Thomas Feiter in an Aug. 20 Republican Primary.

State law allows local party executives to name a new candidate if the party nominee withdraws, dies or otherwise cannot run in the General Election. But in this case, Hyman’s exit from the race leaves Worrell and Bain as the only candidates on the November ballot.

The decision isn’t too surprising. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, named Bain to the office of State Attorney after suspending Worrell, who won election to the office in 2020, more than a year ago.

DeSantis, while running for President, removed two Democratic State Attorneys — Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren was the other — and alleged they had not properly enforced the law.

In the 9th Circuit, Democrats hold the advantage in registered voters. Between both counties, more than 406,000 registered Democrats outnumber fewer than 277,000 Republicans and more than 322,000 voters without party affiliation.

Rumors have circulated since before the Primary that Hyman might drop out to give Bain his best shot against Worrell. Hyman suggested that reasoning when he withdrew from the race.

“I am a practical and pragmatic person, and I know that to win a general election of this size, it takes a considerable amount of financial resources,” Hyman said.

“I am incredibly appreciative to the 155 individuals who have contributed to my campaign, however, both Monique Worrell and Andrew Bain have access to resources that far exceed what are available to me at this point. In order to give this community the best chance of not seeing a second term for Monique Worrell, I have decided to withdraw from the State Attorney’s race and will not appear on the General Election ballot. I do not want the anti-Worrell vote to be split, and I am willing to make this major sacrifice to further that purpose.”