The race for Florida House District 49 officially begins today, as both Democrats in the race, Shayan Elahi and Joe Saunders have qualified to be on the ballot. The new district in East Orlando encompasses the University of Central Florida up to Semoran containing Full Sail University and Valencia – and this race is proving to be a quite a battleground going in to November.
Shayan Elahi is known across the state as a civil rights attorney, being known from his multiple appearances on CNN, MSNBC, BBC World News for his work on civil rights issues in the Orlando area.
Many will remember him from his work on Hispanic Redistricting, his defense of Food Not Bombs when they were being arrested for feeding the homeless at Lake Eola last year, and as an executive board member of the Orange County Democratic Party. He has gained a lot of support in the Hispanic community, which makes up a third of the district, because of his advocacy on behalf of a Hispanic majority County commission district running along the Semoran corridor. This could pay big dividends when going against two Hispanic republicans in November. He also has deep ties to District 49, having called it home for the past 23 years.
Joe Saunders, his challenger, is a young man who has worked as a fundraiser, lobbyist and field coordinator for Equality Florida. He shocked everyone in his first filing quarter when he raised $56,000. However, despite this, Mr. Saunders has some very serious road blocks ahead. He currently resides in the Sea World and International Drive area, about 45 minutes away from the district he is hoping to represent. Normally this would be illegal, but because it is a redistricting year there is a loophole that allows candidates to run in any district in Florida. He also does not have the same name recognition that Shayan currently holds locally, which could be potentially fatal in a smaller primary campaign such as this one.
This is a Democratic primary that many in the area are looking at from both sides of the aisle, and could make a big difference going in to November for the future power seat in Orange County for the Democratic Party.
Great article!
This article seems really bias. While highlighting Shyan’s history of activism, it disregards Joe’s track record on Lgbt issues and activism at Ucf. It doesn’t even mention it if not goes straight into a loophole that’s not illegal. Plus, I don’t know who wrote it. Is this journalism or a tabloid? I’m confused on how this article can be considered credible.
This part of Central Florida includes out east and around 436 and UCF. Yet the donors for Saunders are the City of Orlando “Orlando Country Club” set. There must be millions of dollars of our tax dollars for developers at stake. Shayan Elahu is that thorn in the side that the political machine can’t put under their thumb. He will stop the $ we have from going exclusively to the 1%. That is what his record has shown. Our freedom from corporation control and our freedom from economic devastation are at stake.
The big question for this election is who can represent THIS District and take on the other Party’s effort to roll back all progress. My impression is that I have a choice between a fighter and a compromiser.