While people write columns in New York, Democratic women ride wave of new candidates in Florida
Florida may or may not see a blue wave this fall, but it's already experiencing a new wave.
A torrent of new candidates for seats in the state Legislature, many of them Democratic women, qualified by Friday's deadline to give voters many more choices than in past election cycles. The newcomers include more than 70 women across the state.
Some are disgusted with President Donald Trump and a dysfunctional Congress, and some are motivated by #MeToo or #NeverAgain movements or they want to ride that blue wave — even though Republicans insist there won't be one.
"I got tired of screaming at the television set," said Carol Lawrence, 76, a lawyer and Realtor who turned down MSNBC to speak to a reporter and is running as a Democrat against Republican Rep. David Santiago of Deltona. "If more women were in positions of power in this country, we'd have a lot fewer conflicts. We need to come to a place of peace in this world."
The Florida Democratic Party, widely criticized for lackluster recruitment of challengers in past elections, stepped up its efforts and fielded candidates in all 20 Senate seats on the ballot, including a competitive district in Northwest Miami-Dade. That's a marked difference from two years ago, when nine GOP senators won new terms without opposition along with three Democrats.
The Democratic Party's executive director, Juan Penalosa, said the party worked with like-minded groups, such as Ruth's List and The Women's March, to find more candidates.
"Republicans are talking about Trump and Russia and sanctuary cities," Penalosa said. "We think average voters care more about having to work three jobs, not having affordable health care and the lack of a quality public education system."
Republicans hold a 23-16 advantage in the Florida Senate, and one seat in Pinellas County is vacant. Democrats say they are targeting six seats that have been held by the GOP, three of them in Tampa Bay.
They are pinning their hopes on Rep. Janet Cruz, who's challenging Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa; Carrie Pilon, who's opposing Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg; and former Rep. Amanda Murphy, who's seeking the North Pinellas seat vacated in December by former Sen. Jack Latvala.
In Miami, they're hoping Annette Taddeo will hold a western district that she won in a September special election that kicked off a series of special election victories for the party over the last year. She faces a challenge from attorney Marili Cancio. Another key Senate battleground is in Northwest Miami-Dade, where moderate Republican Sen. Rene Garcia is term-limited and where Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters each make up about a third of eligible voters in Senate District 36.
Rep. Manny Diaz Jr. is the GOP's choice, and Democrats recruited Coral Gables firefighter David Perez, who drew a primary challenge from Julian Santos. Democrats made an unsuccessful courtship of former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, but they say it's a competitive seat they can win.
Democrats also like their chances in and around Gainesville with first-time candidate Kayser Enneking, a UF anesthesiology professor and mother of two children, who will be part of a Democratic effort in favor of Medicaid expansion. Enneking hopes to unseat Republican Sen. Keith Perry.
Even in a year when Trump is sure to be the biggest factor in state politics, it's a tall order for Democrats to pick off Republican-held Senate seats. With its superior get-out-the-vote efforts, the GOP has outperformed Democrats in midterm elections in Florida, and party leaders predict that trend will continue this fall.
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