Jacob Ogles
Lawyer Coretta Anthony-Smith for years lobbied lawmakers on ways to address Florida’s skyrocketing insurance costs. Now, she hopes to be one of the voices in Tallahassee making things better.
Shortly after the unexpected death of state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, Anthony-Smith announced she would run to succeed the longtime lawmaker.
“It was really just my interactions with some of the issues facing our community and me talking to some of my clients, and me observing some of the committee meetings in Tallahassee, as well as me reviewing some of the bills that had been filed,” Anthony-Smith told Florida Politics.
“That’s ultimately what led me to decide to run when I saw that there was, I feel, a void that has been left by Senator Thompson’s death. I think that we need somebody strong to fill that void.”
She faces some well-known lawmakers. State Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, an Orlando Democrat, is resigning her seat to run. Former state Sen. Randolph Bracy, an Ocoee Democrat and Bracy Davis’ brother, also quickly announced his candidacy. And former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson also filed for the seat before the qualification deadline. Even Republican Willie Montague has experience from running against U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost last Fall.
But while Anthony-Scott is the only first-time candidate in the race, she’s no stranger to Tallahassee.
“I’ve helped write bills before for different legislators,” she said. “I’ve been to Tallahassee before to present testimony before different committees. I used to go every year, until COVID.”
She usually lobbied lawmakers on insurance-related issues.
She feels like a focus on slashing attorneys fees ultimately has hurt the consumer.
“There were a lot of supposed tort reforms, insurance reforms, to cut back on insurance fraud. However, what that did was give insurance companies the opportunity to collect premiums, and when a claim came in to just not pay them,” she said. “There is absolutely no accountability right now for insurance companies.”
Cognizant of being the only newcomer to the ballot in a June 24 Democratic Primary, Anthony-Scott said she is investing personally in her campaign to launch the political effort. While her first campaign reports are not yet available, the Ocoee Democrat filed financial disclosures that put her estimated net worth north of $12 million, and showed campaign loans valued at $177,500.
“I want to show people that I’m not just asking you for money,” she said. “If I have the money, I’m willing to put my own money in it too, because I believe in myself.”
She will run a number of targeted ads, she said, while rallying grassroots support in the abbreviated period before the Special Election.
The Primary will likely be where most money in the election gets spent. The winner will advance and face Montague in a Special General Election on Sept. 2, but the district leans heavily Democratic. Nearly 61% of voters there supported Democrat Kamala Harris for President in November, while under 38% backed Republican Donald Trump, according to MCI Maps.
Regardless, if a Democrat holds the seat, the new Senator heads to a caucus in the midst of a leadership change. Anthony-Smith said the caucus needs to try to come together in a difficult time, but also that she knows members will have to work effectively with Republicans for any policy improvements.
“The issues that I’m talking about are bipartisan issues. It’s not Democrat or Republican,” she said. “When there are bipartisan issues like the insurance crisis, public safety, affordable housing, it affects Republicans and Democrats equally.”
