Florida Democrats win election in state house (Not pictured) Florida Senate – Courtesy: Shutterstock — Cheri Alguire
On Tuesday, Florida Democrat Tom Keen defeated Republican opponent Erika Booth in the state house, flipping District 35 by 11,390 votes to 10,800.
Booth announced her loss in the special election brought about by former Republican representative for District 35 Fred Hawkins resigning to take on the role of president of South Florida State College.
The win represents a significant lift for Democrats in Florida, who were dealt a severe setback in the midterm elections held in November 2022, which gave Republicans a supermajority in the state legislature and senate. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams called the victory an “earthquake,” pointing out that the GOP had taken the seat in 2022.
“This victory in Florida is an earthquake… Rep-elect Keen’s victory delivers a blow to Florida Republicans—this was a Republican seat that DeSantis won in 2022 and they should’ve had it in the bag,” Williams said.
Keen was leading 11,390 votes to 10,800 after all precincts had reported, according to a local media Fox 35 Orlando’s review of state and county election data.
In an email sent to his supporters, Keen, an aerospace engineer, said: “I am honored and humbled to announce that I am now your State House District 35 Representative!
“This victory is not just mine; it is OURS! It belongs to every single one of you who believed in our vision, stood by our side, and put your trust in our campaign. Together, we have shown the power of unity, determination, and a shared commitment to a better future.”
Booth, a former Osceola County School Board member, accepted defeat in a statement on Tuesday evening. She said: “First, I want to thank my amazing family, the countless friends, new and old, volunteers and campaign staff that helped propel us to this point.
“Obviously, this is not the result we wanted—but I respect the will of the voters. I congratulate Tom Keen on his win and a race well run.”
Booth won a seat on the Osceola County School Board in 2022, but she was forced to renounce it in order to compete for the state house according to Florida election laws.
The Florida Democratic Party chair, Nikki Fried, declared in a statement following Keen’s official victory that the outcome proves the state “is still worth fighting for” in the wake of several setbacks.
She said: “Florida Democrats rallied behind Tom Keen. We saw unprecedented enthusiasm and investment in this special election from all corners of the state, as well as many of our national partners.
“We proved that Florida is still worth fighting for and that a well-organized, well-funded Democratic campaign can still win a swing seat in this state.”
Keen spent twenty-one years in the military before starting a business in the aerospace training and simulation sector, as stated on his campaign website. Having pledged to “crack down on illegal aliens” and “fight Joe Biden’s woke agenda” in education, Booth is a teacher.
In Monday’s Republican presidential caucus in Iowa, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finished second with 21.2 percent of the vote, far behind former President Donald Trump’s 51 percent and only marginally ahead of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s 19.1 percent.
DeSantis is ranked fourth in the New Hampshire Republican primary, which is scheduled for January 23, behind Trump, Haley, and the since-dropped former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, according to an American Research Group poll released earlier this month.
By concentrating on culture wars topics, such as a highly visible conflict with Disney, the state’s biggest employer, over the latter’s opposition to his Parental Rights in Education Act—dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” measure by detractors—DeSantis was able to garner a sizable Republican support. Up until a particular grade, this prohibited talking about gender identity or sexual orientation in schools.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
