2010 DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
The 2010 Elections
Now is the time to start on the 2010 Election campaign! Come back and visit this site from now through the November elections as candidate information, primary results, and endorsements are continuously updated.
Please use the links provided to learn more about the candidates as well as the offices that they are running for.
This campaign update has been prepared by DEC Vice Chair Phil Schaeffer. Contact Phil with any questions or comments.
Monroe County Democrats need your help to succeed in the challenge and the opportunity of the 2010 election. Come to our meetings, respond positively to our neighborhood organizers and get involved today. Come back to this page often as we move through the year to watch the progress of candidate filings and actual qualifications leading up to the Primary Elections on August 24th.
July 26 - Last day to register to vote in the Primary Election or to change your party affiliation.
August 24 - Primary Election
October 4 - Last day to register to vote in the General Election
November 2 - General Election
Remember that Florida is a "closed" primary state. If you wish to vote for a partisan candidate in the primary you must be a registered voter in the party for which the primary is being held. * Races are Partisan unless otherwise indicated (Incumbent - Party if applicable).
National Offices
• U.S. Senator - Open Seat
Winning this seat has very important ramifications for the progressive policy goals of our President and the Democratic Congress. Maintaining an all-important majority in the Senate is key to the successful passage of meaningful reform-based legislation. Turning this Senate seat, now held by a Republican, into an integral part of a Democratic majority is crucial to our agenda.
At the start of the year six individuals had filed to run for the office of U.S. Senator. Most visible among these candidates are Congressman Kendrick Meek (FL-17) of Miami, Maurice Ferre, former 6-term Mayor of Miami, and Kevin Burns, former Mayor of North Miami.
Candidates for the office of U.S. Senate must have completed and filed their qualification papers in order to be included in the Primary Election by noon on April 30th. We will list all qualified candidates eligible for the primary at that time.
• U.S. Representative ( FL-18) - Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - R - Incumbent
At this time there is no Democratic challenger to run against the incumbent Republican.
Statewide Offices
The Statewide races are where all of Florida's Democratic voters can make a tremendous difference. To have the entire Cabinet made up of elected Democrats will change the direction of Florida for a long time to come.
Note: The Florida Cabinet is a body of the government of Florida that engages in the collective governance of the state. Created following Reconstruction, when there had been a widespread distrust of the governors appointed by the federal government, the cabinet was designed to decentralize authority from the Governor. The meetings of the Governor and Cabinet are chaired by the Governor and the three cabinet members: Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General,and the Commissioner of Agriculture. Each member is popularly elected by the state and carries one vote in executive decisions. In the case of a tie, the vote cast by the Governor decides the outcome.
• Governor and Lt. Governor
The most important impact in electing a Democrat will be in the Governor's Office. In Florida the Republicans have a majority in both houses of the legislature, making the governor's race the only realistic chance that Democrats have to influence the redistricting process to alter this makeup. There are eight candidates for the position of Governor. Alex Sink, the current Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida, and only Democrat in the current Cabinet, is the leading Democratic candidate according to all polls.
Other candidates for Governor include; Joe Allen of Key West; Michael E. Arth of DeLand; Philip Kennedy of Panama City; Farid Khavari of Miami; Anthony "Tony" Knox Sr. of Quincy; Josue Larose of Ft. Lauderdale; and Darrin E. McGillis of Miami.
Candidates for the office of Governor and all other Cabinet offices below must have completed and filed their qualification papers in order to be included in the Primary Election by noon on June 18th. We will list all qualified candidates eligible for the primary at that time.
• Attorney General
The Attorney General serves as the chief legal officer of the state.
We have two excellent Democratic candidates in the race for this important office: State Senator Dave Aronberg and State Senator Dan Gelber. Both candidates have pledged to be the legal representatives of the people that elected them, not of the lobbyists and powerful interest groups.
Be sure to learn about these exciting candidates and be prepared to vote your choice in the Primary Election on August 24th.
• CFO - Chief Financial Officer
This office is currently held by Alex Sink who is now running for Governor.
The Chief Financial Officer is the constitutional statewide elected official who manages the state's accounting and auditing functions, monitors the investment of state funds, investigates financial fraud, licenses and exercises oversight of insurance agents and agencies, ensures that Florida businesses have workers' compensation coverage, safeguards unclaimed property, helps consumers with financial services issues and serves as the state fire marshal, investigating arson and promoting fire safety.
An excellent candidate, State Representative Loranne Ausley of Tallahassee (FL-9) has declared her candidacy for the office of CFO. Flagler County resident and CPA Ken Mazzie has also filed for this office.
• Commissioner of Agriculture
This Commissioner is in charge of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In addition to overseeing Florida's important agricultural industry this Department is one of the most important consumer protection agencies in the state. Their mission is to safeguard the public and support Florida's agricultural economy by; ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of food and other consumer products through inspection and testing programs; protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive business practices and providing consumer information; assisting Florida's farmers and agricultural industries with the production and promotion of agricultural products; and conserving and protecting the state's agricultural and natural resources by reducing wildfires, promoting environmentally safe agricultural practices, and managing public lands.
There are four Democratic candidates for this important position headed for the Primary. Scott Maddox, former head of the Florida Democratic Party and former Mayor of Talahassee, is perhaps the best known. He is joined in this race by Broward County Soil and Water Conservation Commissioner Thad Hamilton, former Suwannee County Commissioner Randy Hatch of Branford, and state Rep. Rick Minton Jr. of Fort Pierce.
County and Local Offices
As Democratic candidates file to run for county and city offices in Monroe County for the 2010 election season, we will list them here. However, the vast majority of candidates running for county or other local offices do not file for candidacy until the spring or summer of the year they run for office.
Come back and look for the local candidate profiles here in the spring and summer of 2010!
RUN FOR OFFICE - Learn how the Monroe County DEC can help you run for one of these important local offices!
• State Representative (Ron Saunders - D)
• County Commissioner
• District 2 (George Nugent - R, Big Pine)
• District 4 (Mario DiGennaro - R, Marathon)
• Monroe School Board (Nonpartisan Race)
• District 1 (Steve Pribramsky - R, Key West)* Announced that he will not stand for re-election in 2010
• District 4 (John Dick - R, Marathon)
• District 5 (Debra Walker - D, Key Largo)
• Mosquito Control Board
• District 2 (Dick Rudell - R , Bay Point to west side of 74th Street, Marathon)
• District 5 (Bill Langstaff - R , All of Monroe County lying east of Tavernier Creek)
• County Judge (Nonpartisan Race)
• Group 1 (Peary Fowler)
• Group 3 (Reagan Ptomey)
• Group 4 (Ruth Becker)
• Key Largo Wastewater Board (Nonpartisan Race)
* 3 seats are up for election in 2010
• (Susan Hammaker)
• (Andrew Tobin)
• (Norman Higgins)
• Key Largo Fire & Emergency Medical Board (Nonpartisan Race)
* 2 seats are up for election in 2010
• Seat 2 (Michael Cavagnero)
• Seat 4 (Tom Tharp)
• Islamorada Village Council
• All five council seats are up for election in 2010