April Freeman, a Democratic candidate for the Congressional District 17 seat, died Sunday night of an apparent heart attack at home, her husband David announced. She was 54.
“It’s with great sadness that I feel I must inform all of you that my beloved wife April passed away suddenly last night,” her husband said in a message posted on her personal Facebook page. He later told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, though the cause of death had not been confirmed, she appeared to have suffered a heart attack. “That’s all I know right now,” he said.
On Aug. 28, Freeman, a film and television producer, won the Democratic nomination for the seat which includes all or parts of Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Highlands, Lee, Okeechobee, Polk and Sarasota counties. She was running against Republican challenger Greg Steube in the Nov. 6 general election.
The district’s current representative, Republican Tom Rooney, is not seeking re-election. With the exception of Rooney, the district had been held by Democrats since it was created in 1983, although it was redrawn after the 2010 census.
A replacement candidate will be chosen by the district's Democratic chairs. State law gives the chairs five days to call a meeting, once they are formally notified by the state party chairwoman. Elections supervisors have already mailed ballots to many overseas and military voters, so Freeman’s name will remain on the ballot.
The Division of Elections has said it will send a notice to district voters indicating a vote for Freeman would be counted for the person designated by the party.
Freeman, of Cape Coral, ran unsuccessfully against Rooney in 2016, capturing 34 percent of the vote. She easily won this year's Democratic primary with 77 percent of the vote.
She worked on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012 and first ran for Congress two years later in Florida’s 19th district.
In 2016, she spoke to crowds at events attended by former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s running mate for the 2016 presidential election.
On Monday afternoon, Steube posted condolences and his intention to honor Freeman on his Facebook page.
"My thoughts & prayers are with April Freeman’s family in the wake of her tragic passing," Steube wrote. "I respect her service to our community and admire her commitment to the causes she cared about. Out of respect to her memory, next week’s campaign events will be canceled."
In a prepared statement Monday, Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo expressed sadness over Freeman’s sudden death.
“April put her heart and soul into her community -- and was dedicated to making a better future for all Floridians,” Rizzo said. “Just last night she was in the office, making calls and working to get out the vote.
“Her work ethic and passion was an inspiration to all of us,” she added. “It is a tremendous loss to the Democratic Party and to all who knew her.
“Our hearts break for her family and love ones, who are grieving her loss.”
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
