Jesse Scheckner
Nearly a month after the proverbial dust settled around whether she could return to the Legislature’s upper chamber, Rep. Debbie Mayfield is adding the Sunshine State’s chief business advocacy organization to her list of supporters.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce is officially backing Mayfield’s bid for Senate District 19, describing her as a “stalwart defender of free enterprise” who fights “against job-killing regulations.”
“Rep. Debbie Mayfield is committed to Florida’s future and will continue to work to help Florida maintain a pro-jobs climate and safeguard the strength of our growing economy,” Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson said in a statement.
“She has proven through her years of service to the people of Brevard County that she is focused on job creation and furthering economic opportunity for all Floridians.”
Mayfield is one of four Republicans competing in an April 1 Primary for the SD 19 seat, which Brevard Republican Sen. Randy Fine is vacating at the end of this month to run for Congress.
Her candidacy hit a temporary snag last month when Secretary of State Cord Byrd disqualified her from running, citing a state law on term limits. Eight days later, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously ruled he misinterpreted that language.
Mayfield said Byrd was acting at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ behest to punish her for supporting President Donald Trump in the 2024 GOP Presidential Primary.
She has since notched an endorsement from the Senate GOP leadership and Americans for Progress Florida Action.
“I’m proud to have the support of the Florida Chamber of Commerce,” Mayfield said in a statement. “They represent Florida’s brightest companies and job creators. Working together with President Trump and our Governor, we can expand Florida’s record-breaking job growth into the future.”
Other Republicans in the race include Marcie Adkins, Mark Lightner and former Melbourne City Council member Tim Thomas.
The winner of the Republican Primary will likely have an edge over the race’s lone Democratic candidate, Vance Ahrens, whom Fine defeated in November with 59% of the vote.
SD 19 covers most of Central and South Brevard from Port St. John and Cape Canaveral to Micco. Registered Brevard Republicans outnumber Democrats in the county 204,082 to 117,216, according to the most recent state voter data,
The Primary is on April 1, followed by the Special General Election on June 10.
