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Elections: Candidates Qualifying Monday

John Mica (R) (l) Sandy Adams (R) (r)

CD 7: ADAMS, MICA QUALIFY: U.S. Reps. Sandy Adams and John Mica, both Republican incumbents in Congress, qualified for the ballot on Monday to face off against each other in the new 7th Congressional District. Adams, of Orlando, is seen as the tea party favorite, while Mica, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee and a longtime member of Congress is seen as the GOP establishment candidate. Democrat Nicholas Ruiz III also qualified Monday. Qualifying ends Friday.

CD 13: YOUNG QUALIFIES TO RUN FOR 22ND TERM: U.S. Rep. C.W. “Bill” Young officially qualified Monday to see a 22nd term in Congress, having turned in enough signatures to get on the ballot. The Republican from Indian Shores in Pinellas County is running in the 13th Congressional District after redistricting. Also on Monday, Democrat Jessica Ehrlich qualified to run against the veteran congressman, who is the senior Republican in Congress. Young, 82, was first elected to Congress in 1970 after ten years in the Florida Senate.

CD 22: A primary between Democrats Lois Frankel and Kristin Jacobs was set Monday in the 22nd Congressional district with Republican Adam Hasner qualifying for the other side of the ballot. Frankel, a former West Palm Beach mayor and state House Democratic leader, has been one of the top Democratic congressional fundraisers, having brought in more than $1.8 million. Hasner, a former majority leader in the House, is close behind Frankel in fundraising. Jacobs a Broward County commissioner, joined the race late and is far behind in raising money.

LEGISLATIVE RACES

HD 34: ARGENZIANO, SMITH BOTH IN: Incumbent Republican Rep. Jimmie T. Smith qualified Monday to run for re-election as did Independent Party candidate Nancy Argenziano in House District 34 on the Nature Coast. The district runs along the Gulf coast north of Tampa Bay and includes Crystal River, Lecanto, Inverness and Homosassa Springs. Argenziano represented the area several years ago in both the House and Senate, but left the Legislature to serve on the Public Service Commission. Argenziano was a Republican when she was in the Legislature, but had intended to run for the House as a Democrat. A new part of the state election law, however, prevented her from doing that because she didn’t register as a Democrat in time. Smith has quickly made a name in the House as a staunch supporter of drug testing.

HD 39: GOT CHANGE? COMBEE PAYS, QUALIFIES: Republican Neil Combee of Polk County was listed by the Division of Elections on Monday as having qualified to run in House District 39, which runs from the east side of Lakeland northeast through Polk City and up to the south end of Celebration and the area around Disney. Qualifying on Monday may have been a good idea for Combee, in case something goes wrong he has until Friday to fix it. Back in 2010 Combee filed to run for House District 64, at the time planning to challenge Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, and paid his $1,781.81 qualifying fee. Unfortunately the qualifying fee was actually $1,781.82 and nobody from the state warned Combee that he was a penny short – so he was unable to run. The longtime Polk County commissioner said at the time he would probably just run again in 2012.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. West Orange Resident Tim Adams qualified as a Write-in Candidate for the office of
    Clerk of the Orange County Courts for 2012.

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