Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen • October 2017 | Page 14

ELECTIONS UPDATE
by Kari Hebrank,
Wilson & Associates
New members are joining
the 2018 Florida Legislature
due to a number of
seats being vacated
in 2017. Democrats
picked up a Senate seat
in South Florida when
Democrat and founder
of a language translation
company Annette Taddeo
bested Republican Rep.
Jose “Pepi” Diaz in the
September 26 Special
Election for Senate
District 40. The seat was
previously held by Sen.
Frank Artiles who resigned
abruptly after making
controversial comments to
a fellow Senator. Taddeo,
who was Democrat Charlie
Crist’s running mate in
the failed 2014 Governor’s
race, was sworn in Oct.
9th bringing the official
breakdown in the Senate
to 24 Republicans and
16 Democrats. Further,
four special elections were
called for the following
House seats:
14
DITCHMEN • OCTOBER 2017
HD 44 - Rep. Eric Eisnaugle
(R-Orlando) was appointed
by the Governor to the
Fifth District Court of
Appeal earlier this year
and vacated his seat.
Former Republican Winter
Garden Commissioner
Bobby Olszewski beat
the Democrat by a margin
of 56 to 44 and was also
sworn in last week.
HD 58 – Rep. Dan
Raulerson (R-Plant City)
resigned due to health
issues in July, making way
for a primary race between
Lawrence McClure and
Yvonne Fry. McClure, a
Dover businessman, won
the October 10 special
primary election for this
Republican seat and
will face Democrat Jose
Vasquez, Libertarian Bryan
Zemina and non-party-
affiliated Ahmad Saadaldin
on December 19.
HD 72 – Rep. Alex Miller
(R-Sarasota) resigned
her seat in late August,
citing family and business
reasons. The special
primary election is
scheduled for December
6 and the general election
is February 13, 2018.
Running for this Republican
leaning seat is real estate
agent James Buchanan,
son of Congressman Vern
Buchanan. Buchanan, who
does not have a primary
opponent, has raised
over $150,000 and has
many key endorsements.
Buchanan will meet the
winner of the race between
attorney Margaret Good
and staffing company
owner Ruta Jouniari along
with Libertarian Alison
Foxall in the general
election.
HD 116 – Rep. Jose Diaz
vacated his seat to run
for special election for SD
40. Handily winning the
seat in the September
26th general election was
Republican attorney Daniel
Perez. Perez was sworn
in last week.