Special Election scheduled to replace Randy Fine in SD 19

A Special Election has been called to replace state Sen. Randy Fine in Senate District 19.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has scheduled a Special Primary for April 1, with a Special General Election to be held on June 10.

The seat opened up as Fine, a Palm Bay Republican, runs for Congress. Per Florida’s “resign to run” law, he has to vacate his seat, and has already submitted an irrevocable resignation effective March 31.

A qualifying period begins at 8 a.m. on Feb. 3 and closes at noon on Feb. 4, a Tuesday.

Fine just won election in the district in November, when he defeated Democrat Vance Ahrens with more than 59% of the vote. Fine succeeded former state Sen. Debbie Mayfield, a Melbourne Republican who now represents House District 32.

Already, Ahrens and Mayfield both say they intend to run for the open Senate seat.

The Primary date for the Senate Special Election will take place the same day as the General Election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, where Fine is one of eight candidates qualified in the race to succeed former U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, now President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser.

Ahrens already filed to run in the 2028 cycle but hasn’t reported any fundraising to date.

Mayfield, a former Senate Majority Leader, raised more than $2,000 in her re-election campaign for the Florida House and will be able to transfer all of it to a Senate run. She also controls the political committee Conservatives for Good Government, which had more than $600,000 in cash on hand as of the end of 2024.

Senate District 19 falls entirely within Brevard County on Florida’s Space Coast. It covers communities including Cape Canaveral in the north end to Grant Valkaria in the south.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) earlier this month sued to force DeSantis to call the Special Election in HD 3 and in Senate District 19.

“After an unexplained two-month delay, the Governor has finally called these special elections,” said ACLU Staff Attorney Nicholas Warren. “This delay will leave Brevard County and Northwest Florida without representation in the Legislature for months. Furthermore, taxpayers will now bear the cost of multiple elections that could have been consolidated, adding unnecessary financial strain to already burdened communities.

“Florida’s resign-to-run law was designed so vacancies could be filled promptly. To prevent cascading delays and costs, we urge the Legislature to mandate strict timeframes for holding special elections, and to require resign-to-run elections be held concurrently. It should not require a lawsuit for the governor to fulfill his constitutional duty to set elections.”

Warren noted the late call for the Special Election scheduled the race so close to the qualification deadline, an election to replace Mayfield will likely have to take place separately later this year.

“Brevard will have to pay for four to five elections when they could have just had two,” he said.