Friday was the deadline to qualify to run for Congress this November. And this is the first time in years that state Democrats will compete in every Florida Congressional race.
Democrats qualified to contest all 28 Florida Congressional districts in 2024. It’s the first time state Democrats have filled a full slate of congressional candidates since 2018.
Earlier this month, the state party launched a candidate recruitment campaign with with billboards and digital ads across the state. Since then, they've received more than one hundred 100 applications.
Here's how the races are shaping up in the greater Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas:
- In District 11, which includes parts of Polk, Sumter and Lake counties, incumbent Republican Daniel Webster will face two primary opponents. They are former state House Representative Anthony Sabatini and John McCloy. The winner will face off against Democrat Bobbie Harden Hall in November.
- Incumbent Gus Bilirakis will face fellow Republican Hank Dunlap for District 12, which includes Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. The winner will go up against Democrat Rock Aboujaoude in the general election.
- A crowded race awaits incumbent Anna Paulina Luna in November - she gets to avoid a primary as no other Republicans qualified in District 13 in Pinellas County. The Democrats will have a primary. The candidates include frontrunner Whitney Fox, Sabrina Bousbar, Liz Dahan, Mark Weinkrantz and John William Liccione. Write-in candidate Tony D'Arrigo also qualified.
- Longtime Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor also won't have to face a challenger in the primary for District 14, which includes Tampa and St. Petersburg. Republicans who will face off in the primary include Ehsan Joarder, Neelam Taneja Perry, John Peters and Robert "Rocky" Rochford. Also qualifying are Libertarian Nathaniel T. Snyder and no-party candidate Christopher Bradley.
- Incumbent Laurel Lee will face several challengers in August's primary - Republicans James Judge and Jennifer Barbosa. The winner will face current Democratic Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp in November for the District 15 seat.
- Longtime Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan will face a challenger in August - Eddie Speir, founder of a Christian high school in Bradenton. The Democrats in the primary for District 16 include repeat candidate Jan Schneider and Trent Miller.
- Incumbent Republican Greg Steube has no opposition in the primary for District 17, which includes Sarasota and Charlotte counties. Democrats who will face off in August are Manny Lopez and Matthew Montavon. Write-in candidate Ralph E. Hartman also qualified.
- And in District 18, which includes portions of Polk, Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties, incumbent Scott Franklin gets to avoid a primary, since no other Republicans qualified. Democrats who will square off in a primary are Peter Braunston and Andrea Doria Kale.
The primaries will be held August 20th.
