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State Legislators Daphne Campbell, Roy Hardemon Lose Re-Election Bids

Carl Juste
/
Miami Herald
Daphne Campbell supporter Elenne Polycarpe waits for Campbell’s arrival at a watch party. Campbell lost the Florida Senate District 38 primary race in North Miami.";

Two South Florida lawmakers lost Democratic primaries Tuesday, while other candidates from Miami-Dade County to the Panhandle locked up spots in the state House and Senate.

Sen. Daphne Campbell, D-Miami, lost her primary in Miami-Dade’s Senate District 38 to attorney Jason Pizzo, who does not have a general-election opponent. Tuesday’s win came two years after Campbell topped Pizzo in a six-candidate primary for the Senate seat.

Also losing Tuesday was Rep. Roy Hardemon, D-Miami, in a three-way primary in Miami-Dade’s House District 108. Hardemon fell to lawyer Dotie Joseph, who, like Pizzo, is assured of a spot in the Legislature because she does not face a general-election opponent.

Several incumbent lawmakers nailed down return trips to Tallahassee during the primary, including Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, who trounced former Rep. Jim Waldman in a Democratic primary in Broward County’s Senate District 34. Farmer has only a write-in opponent in the November election.

Similarly, Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, will receive another four-year term after easily dispatching Rubin Anderson in a Democratic primary in Palm Beach County’s Senate District 30. Powell only faces a write-in opponent in November.

In the House, incumbents who locked up their seats for the next two years were Rep. Kimberly Daniels, D-Jacksonville, in Duval County’s House District 14; Rep. Wengay Newton, D-St. Petersburg, in House District 70 in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties; Rep. Patricia Hawkins-Williams, D-Lauderdale Lakes, in Broward County’s House District 92; Rep. Kristen Jacobs, D-Coconut Creek, in Broward County’s House District 96; and Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, in Broward County’s House District 97.

Some newcomers also ensured they will serve in the House with their primary wins. They included Gulf Breeze Republican Alex Andrade in House District 2 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties; Tampa Democrat Dianne Hart in Hillsborough County’s House District 61; Tampa Democrat Susan Valdes in Hillsborough County’s House District 62; Boca Raton Democrat Tina Polsky in Palm Beach County’s House District 81; and Miami Democrat James Bush III, a former lawmaker, in Miami-Dade County’s House District 109. Each of those candidates is unopposed or faces only a write-in in November.

Along with Bush, Tuesday’s House primaries also included other former lawmakers trying to make comebacks.

Former Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola, won a GOP primary in Escambia County’s House District 1; former Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, won a Democratic primary in Orange County’s House District 44; and former Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, won a Republican primary in Sarasota County’s House District 72. But former Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, lost her bid to return to the Legislature in Hillsborough County’s House District 59.

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