Janelle Irwin Taylor
Kyandra Darling, one of three Democrats running for House District 62, will not back down from her race even if state Sen. Darryl Rouson decides to run for the seat.
In a post to X Friday, Darling appeared to be responding to rumors that Rouson may run for the House seat, which he once represented before being elected to the upper chamber. While she did not mention Rouson by name, Darling pointed to “growing speculation about who may be entering or exiting the race,” saying the whispers have been ongoing “over the past week.”
It was a little more than a week ago that Florida Politics reported that Rouson was being courted for a House bid as he faces term limits in the Senate. The HD 62 seat is open for next year’s election, with incumbent state Rep. Michele Rayner running for Rouson’s Senate seat.
“I remain as committed to running and winning this race as I was on the day I declared my candidacy,” Darling wrote in her social media post.
“Since launching this campaign 158 days ago, we’ve been leading from the front. We’ve outraised our opponents and earned the support of some of the most respected and trusted leaders in our community.”
Indeed, Darling has been far outpacing her opposition so far, which includes Rayner’s legislative aide, Upton Fisher, and former state Rep. Wengay Newton. No Republicans have filed for the race in the heavily Democratic district where just 19% of the district’s voters are registered Republicans, according to the most recent L2 voter data.
Darling has raised more than $53,000 for the race so far, blowing past Fisher by about $50,000, and raising about five times as much as Newton, who has brought in less than $10,000.
And Darling has earned numerous endorsements, including from Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen, Hillsborough County Property Appraiser and former state Rep. Bob Henriquez, St. Pete City Council members Gina Driscoll and Lisset Hanewicz, former St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman, and more.
“I’ve said all along that this race isn’t about me or any of the other candidates. It’s about the hardworking people of District 62 — families, seniors and neighborhoods who feel left behind by a broken system,” Darling said, adding that the district needs “bold new leadership.”
“At this pivotal moment for our state, our nation, and our party, voters are not just asking for change — they are demanding it. They are demanding a power shift from the old guard to the next generation of leaders who will act with urgency, courage, and vision.”
Darling is a former staffer for former U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and worked as a legislative aide to former St. Pete City Council member Steve Kornell and Lisa Wheeler-Bowman. Darling has also worked in the nonprofit sector, collaborating with more than 40 nonprofit organizations serving health equity, education and economic opportunity issues in the Tampa Bay region.
While she appears the early front-runner in the race as it currently stands, Rouson’s entrance could make her path to victory more challenging. Rouson has served in the Legislature since his first election to the House in 2008. He moved to the Senate in 2016. By the time he reaches term limits in the Senate and leaves office, his legislative career will have spanned about 18 years.
That kind of name recognition is difficult to contend with.
Rouson has not publicly weighed in on whether he will run for the House seat, but sources close to him have said it’s an open discussion.
It began with a group of Tampa Bay area ministers. What started as a few whispers and a nudge here and there quickly turned into dozens of faith leaders urging Rouson to stay in the game, even if it means basically demoting himself to the state’s lower chamber, where, by then, he won’t have served for nearly a decade.
But it’s worth noting that Darling’s supporters include some in the faith community, such as Bishop Manuel Sykes, Rev. Jana Hall-Perkins and Imam Wilmore Sadiki.
