When Frederica Wilson won Kendrick Meek's former congressional seat last November, she set in motion a special election for two legislative seats. And that election is set for Tuesday in South Florida.
First elected to the Senate in 2002, Wilson vacated a Senate seat that represents parts of Miami-Dade County. Four former state representatives -- Oscar Braynon, Phillip Brutus, James Bush and Darryl Reaves -- square off in the Democratic primary Tuesday to take on the Republican candidate, former North Miami Mayor Joe Celestin in March. All four of the Democratic candidates are familiar faces in the district.
First elected to the House in a special election held in 2008, Braynon, who resigned to run for the Senate, served in local government before winning election to Tallahassee. He served five years on the Miami Gardens City Council, including a two-year stint as vice mayor. While he served in the House for less than three years, Braynon rose to become a deputy whip for the Democrats. He is no stranger to Tallahassee, having served as a page and an intern to Kendrick Meek during that politicians time in the Florida House.
Brutus, an attorney who was married to former Rep. Yolly Roberson, served in the Florida House representing parts of Miami-Dade. First elected in 2000, Brutus served three terms before declining to run for a fourth term in 2006. Like Braynon, Brutus served in local government before heading to Tallahassee, serving on the Miami Community Council.
Bush served two nonconsecutive stints in the Florida House. First winning election back in 1992, Bush served four terms before facing term limits. A teacher and a longtime activist with a doctorate of ministry in Christian education, Bush headed back to Tallahassee in 2008, winning another term in the House representing parts of Miami-Dade.
The son of the late Rep. Jefferson Reaves, Darryl Reaves, an attorney who served as student government president of Florida A&M University, was elected to the House in 1990 and served one term. A vocal critic of FCAT testing, Reaves has been plagued by problems in the past, including owing thousands of dollars in late child-support payments and campaign finance fines.
While Braynon drew an easy task in 2010, winning another term in the House with no opposition in either the Democratic primary or the general election, his three rivals did not fare so well. Brutus and Bush jumped in the crowded Democratic primary to replace Meek in Congress. While Wilson won with 34.5 percent, Brutus and Bush both trailed with single digits Brutus placed fifth with 8.4 percent and 1,000 votes behind ex-wife Yolly Roberson, who came in fourth. Bush came in eighth in the nine-candidate field with 5.4 percent. Reaves, who also ran unsuccessfully for the House in 1996, ran for the Miami-Dade school board and came up short -- just as he had in 2006.
Besides having the backing of some members of the Democratic establishment, including the defeated gubernatorial nominee, former CFO Alex Sink, Braynon appears to have a commanding lead over his rivals on the financial end. As of Feb. 3, Braynon had hauled in almost $178,000 in cash and spent more than $135,000. As of the same date, Brutus raised just under $9,700 and spent under $9,200. Bushs last report was filed at the end of September and showed he had brought in $665 while Reaves raised more than $10,000, loaned his campaign $10,000 more and had the bulk of it on hand as of Jan. 14, having spent only less than $2,750 as of that date.
Whoever emerges from the Democratic field should have a strong advantage over Celestin in March based on voter registrations in the district. Celestin raised $4,350 on Feb. 3 and spent more than $2,000 of that amount.
The Democrats are certain to control the House seat that Braynon vacated, which represents parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. All three candidates who made the ballot are Democrats; however, all voters, regardless of party registration, will be able to vote.
Erhabor Ighodaro, an educator who served as the chief of staff to the late Robert Ingram, a former member of the Miami-Dade County school board, has raised more than $20,000, including more than $800 in loans, through Feb. 3, but spent almost $17,000 of that. Former Miami Gardens City Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett raised more than $12,000, loaned her campaign more than $2,000, and spent just less than $8,5000 as of Feb. 3. Former Miami Gardens Vice Mayor Barbara Watson, who also served on the City Council, raised more than $6,000, kicked in $7,100 in loans and spent almost $8,000 of that amount by Feb. 3.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
