4 candidates battle to carry Democratic banner in SD 25 race to succeed Geraldine Thompson

Democrats in Senate District 15 will decide Tuesday who carries the torch of late state Sen. Geraldine Thompson. The intraparty battle has included a sibling rivalry, attempted political comebacks and the entry of a self-funder calling for change.

Primary voters will choose between Gotha lawyer Coretta Anthony-Smith, former state Sen. Randolph Bracy, state Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis and former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. The winner will advance to a Sept. 2 Special Election as a heavy favorite against Republican Willie Montague.

The initial marquee contest appeared to be between Bracy and Bracy Davis, siblings who both have experience in the Legislature already. But the former Senator lacked fundraising prowess after a political defeat last year, and a fundraising moratorium in an extended Session largely crippled Bracy Davis’ cash flow.

That left an opening for Anthony-Smith, who has canvassed frequently and spent a significant out-of-pocket sum on the race. “We need new ideas. We need new blood,” she said. “We need more aggressive representation. And we need to hold everyone — businesses, insurance companies and our leaders — more accountable.”

Anthony-Smith raised almost $59,000 for her campaign on top of a $175,000 loan. Through her last report, she spent more than $98,000 on the race, and still had almost $136,000 for the final days of the race. Her committee, Action for Change Now, raised more than $76,000 in outside donations as well, and spent almost $52,000 through June 19.

And while she felt the system in Tallahassee needed changes before she ran for office, Anthony-Smith said the campaign has brought that need into even greater focus for her.

“I have been so disheartened by the whole system. I feel like I’m running for prom queen, not for Senator,” she said.

“I feel like this has been a popularity contest. We never hold real, actual debates with candidates, and instead are talking about topics that are distractions. I was expecting to debate issues directly, talking about issues and talking about solutions. And I say prom queen, not even Miss America and Miss Universe, because in a pageant you have to have a talent. We haven’t had to do that.”

She believes her trial lawyer experience gives her the background she needs in the Legislature. “A lot of forums we have had were more like one-on-one interviews,” she said. “But you don’t get to present a bill in a one-on-one situation.”

Grayson, who served two stints in Congress before a failed statewide run for U.S. Senate, has also put resources into his run. He has covered the district in signs, many showing his face alongside the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights leader who praised Grayson before his death. “Alan Grayson will never let you down,” the signs quote Lewis as stating.

The ex-Congressman only raised a little more than $6,200 for his campaign. However, he self-funded to the tune of more than $242,000 in candidate loans. Through the last fundraising period, he had spent nearly $218,000 campaigning for the seat. A political committee under his control has not filed any reports this year.

Grayson’s message now is: “The voters deserve more, and they deserve better.” He’s happy to contrast his record to that of the state lawmakers in the race.

“I brought in an additional $2 billion-plus in federal aid, including roads, hospitals, Sunrail’s extension, school construction and special education, and many other finished projects. That’s $3,000-plus for every single person in the district,” he said.

“I also cut foreclosures in half, and kept seven schools and one airport open. The Bracy siblings talk very vaguely about bringing thousands of dollars home, not billions. In my last four years alone, I passed 121 laws, many of them major, including a federal tax break for Florida. This was with the Republicans in charge. Randy claims to have passed eight laws in 10 years and LaVon six laws in three — most notably, renaming a playground.”

Bracy Davis, who entered the race as the only sitting lawmaker, ended up in a situation where her incumbency became a liability. While she has seen a surge of cash in the week ahead of the Democratic Primary, a moratorium on fundraising that unexpectedly dragged to the end of an extended Session last week impacted her messaging ability.

The Ocoee Democrat’s campaign raised more than more than $60,000 over the course of the race, most of that in the last week. Through that reporting deadline, the campaign spent more than $19,000, but still held more than $41,000 in cash on hand.

Bracy Davis’ Liberated by Democracy political committee, however, raised no money after the close of Session, and has spent less than $4,600 on the campaign. As of June 19, the committee had more than $12,400 in the bank to spend.

But she said her record can speak for itself.

“I made the decision not to resign my position immediately — even though I knew it would severely limit my ability to raise campaign funds — because I believed the people of Florida, especially those in West Orange County, deserved full representation during the budget process. With our beloved Senator Thompson no longer with us, I felt a responsibility to stand in the gap. That decision paid off: We secured significant wins in the state budget that will directly benefit our community,” she said.

“In the State House, I’ve worked to build up my community by expanding opportunities and delivering on every promise I’ve made. I’m proud of the positive campaign I’ve run — one rooted in respect, results, and real connection. While not every campaign has taken that approach, I’ve stayed focused on uplifting our community rather than tearing others down. The overwhelming support I’ve received — from doors knocked, to personal encouragement, to last-minute financial contributions — confirms that voters value leadership that leads with integrity.”

Bracy Davis won election to the House in 2022, so she took office in the lower chamber as her brother left the Senate. She worked closely with Thompson on district issues, not with her brother, and had staffers and family of the late Senator at her campaign announcement earlier this year.

Bracy, the Representative’s older brother, also has experience in both the House and Senate. The Oakland Democrat served a term in the Senate before running unsuccessfully for Congress in Florida’s 10th Congressional District in 2022. He then challenged Thompson in a Democratic Primary in 2024, two years after she won election to his seat. Thompson won that race in a landslide, her last political victory before her unexpected death this year.

This time around, Bracy, a onetime prospect for Governor, proved ineffective at fundraising. While he didn’t file a June fundraising report in a timely fashion, he raised under $3,000 in outside contributions before that and chipped in $6,000 in candidate loans as well. A political committee under his control, A Better Us, reported no activity ahead of the Primary.

He has attended events like a Juneteenth celebration days out from the Primary, and has campaigned as “The People’s Champ.”

“We are in a time where effective, strategic leadership is crucial. I am the only candidate for Senate District 15 that has a proven record,” he posted on Facebook.

It isn’t just family spats that have made the race feel personal at times.

Grayson dismisses Anthony-Smith as a “lobbyist hobbyist” ahead of the election. She responded by saying he was a “retired politician” and recounted his losses for the U.S. Senate, two congressional seats and a neighboring Senate district since he last achieved anything for the district.