True, 2018 is a long time away in politics. With Gov. Rick Scott polling poorly, its very possible Florida could have a new governor in 2014 who could be looking to run for another term in 2018. President Barack Obama is prohibited from seeking a third term, so both the Democrats and the Republicans will have competitive presidential primaries in 2016.
If he does not end up as the Republicans presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will look to defend his Senate seat in 2016. The current members of the Florida Cabinet will be term-limited in 2018, which could lead to interesting races. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., will be up for a fourth term in 2018 and, as he would be in his mid-70s by then, he could be heading to the sidelines during that election cycle.
In short, a lot can happen between now and 2018. But that hasnt stopped one prominent legislator in Tallahassee from launching a 2018 campaign.
Rep. Doug Holder, R-Venice, is clearly a proponent of long-term thinking. Believe it or not, Holder has already filed for a state Senate election to be held in 2018. First elected to the Florida House in 2006, Holder has moved up the ranks in that chamber, eventually rising to his current positions as chairman of the Regulatory Affairs Committee and serving as vice chairman of the Select Committee on Gaming.
But Holder faces term limits in 2014 and Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, currently blocks his path to the Senate. A veteran of Tallahassee who served eight years in the Florida House before being elected to the Senate in 2008, Detert is up for re-election in 2014 and doesnt face term limits until 2018.
Holder stole a march on other possible Senate candidates by filing paperwork to run forDeterts seat back in January. While he was prohibited from raising money when the Legislature was in session back in March, since filing on Jan. 28, Holder started off his 2018 campaign fundraising with a bang. From the end of January through the end of March, Holder posted impressive numbers, bringing in $19,000 and spending around $150.
So far, Holder is the only candidate in the race. Then again, Holder is the only candidate in Florida to have already declared his interest in running for office in 2018. Thats not to say there arent other candidates looking down the road. But none of them are looking as far as Holder is.
Republican activist D.J. DeRenzo, who ran for a state House seat in 2010, has already filed to run for the U.S. Senate in 2016, while incumbents and other candidates have filed to run for Florida Senate seats that year. Former Rep. Richard Steinberg, a Democrat who resigned his Florida House seat in 2012 after being investigated for stalking a federal prosecutor and sending her inappropriate texts -- but was cleared -- is the only candidate to file for a Florida House seat in 2016.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News.
