Jacob Ogles
State Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis just took a big step toward a seat in the Senate. The Ocoee lawmaker won a Democratic Primary in Senate District 15.
With most votes counted, Bracy Davis won 42.96% of the vote, 5,533 votes, while lawyer Coretta Anthony-Smith took 28.31%, or 3,646 votes, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson secured over 16.72%, 2,153 votes, and former state Sen. Randolph Bracy received 12.02%, or 1,548 votes.
“I am humbled and honored to have earned the trust and support of the people of Senate District 15,” Bracy Davis said. “Tonight, we won decisively—not just with votes, but with a vision. The voters have made it clear: they want bold, principled leadership that lifts up our communities, builds on our shared progress, and delivers results. This campaign was never about tearing others down—it was about standing up for what’s right and fighting for those whose voices too often go unheard. We ran a campaign rooted in truth, compassion, and service, and the people responded. I look forward to running this same caliber of race for the general election in September.”
From here, the newly minted nominee advances to a Sept. 2 Special Election against Republican Willie Montague. The winner of that race will succeed Sen. Geraldine Thompson, an Orlando Democrat who died unexpectedly in February.
Bracy Davis paid tribute to Thompson upon winning the nomination.
“I recognize that I am standing on the shoulders of the greats who came before me—especially my mentor, the late Senator Geraldine F. Thompson. I promise to carry forward her legacy with integrity, courage, and a deep commitment to justice,” she said.
“I also dedicate this victory to my father, Rev. Dr. Randolph Bracy, Jr. a man whose life was a testament to faith, perseverance, and purpose. He taught me what it means to lead with conviction, to speak truth even when it’s hard, and to serve with my whole heart. Though he is no longer physically with me, I feel his presence in every step I take and every decision I make. His example continues to guide me, and tonight’s victory is as much his as it is mine. To everyone who knocked a door, made a call, said a prayer, or cast a vote: thank you. I am ready to get to work—for all of us.”
Bracy Davis, who entered the race as the only sitting lawmaker, ended up in a situation where her incumbency became a liability. While she enjoyed 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. She ended up being outspent by two opponents.
The Ocoee Democrat’s campaign raised more than $60,000 over the course of the race, most of that in the last week. Through a June 19 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.
“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,” she said.
“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,”
But she also saw support from other Senate Democrats, who backed Bracy Davis in the race.
“Rep. Lavon Bracy Davis has a wealth of legislative experience and a long history of fighting for the rights of Floridians,” said Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman. “As Sen. Geraldine Thompson’s hand-picked successor, I know she’ll work every day to honor the late Senator’s legacy. I have every confidence that she will be elected as the next member of the Florida Senate Democratic Caucus, and we look forward to having her join us in the fight for a more affordable Florida.”
That left an opening for Anthony-Smith, who 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.
Grayson, who served two stints in Congress before a failed statewide run for U.S. Senate, also put resources into his run. He 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 spent nearly $218,000 campaigning for the seat. A political committee under his control did not file any reports this year.
Grayson’s message for the race was: “The voters deserve more, and they deserve better.” He’s happy to contrast his record to that of the state lawmakers in the race. He argued he brought more federal dollars to the district during his two stints in Congress than Bracy Davis or her brother, Bracy.
“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.
Bracy, the Representative’s older brother, also boasted experience in 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 attended events including a Juneteenth celebration days out from the Primary, and campaigned as “The People’s Champ.”
