Adams Needs Republicans to Get Behind Her in CD 24

It's final, we think. With just 30 percent of the vote, Sandy Adams eked out a victory in the Republican primary in the 24th Congressional District.

The official certification of Adams' victory won't come until next week, but it appears that the term-limited state representative will take on Rep. Suzanne Kosmas this fall.

Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel made the primary contest close, finishing just 560 votes behind Adams in a five-candidate field. Craig Miller came in a close third. The margin of victory -- 0.08 percent -- was larger than the 0.005 that triggers an automatic recount.

The question now becomes: Will Republicans unite behind Adams to retake the congressional seat from the freshman Kosmas?

The GOP holds a 3 percentage-point edge in registration in the Central Florida district, but the primary laid bare some of the intramural squabbles that splinter Republicans there.

A day after the primary, Adams congratulated her opponents and declared, We all want a thriving economy and limited government. In November, the people of Central Florida are going to make that message clear to Washington."

Meantime, Kosmas has deftly positioned herself as a moderate. For example, she is one of the few House Democrats who has called for an extension of the Bush tax cuts.

The New Smyrna Beach lawmaker has also been deeply involved in the effort to retain and recruit jobs at the Kennedy Space Center as the Obama administration shifts priorities elsewhere.

Kosmas defeated an ethics-challenged Tom Feeney to win the seat in 2008 and has amassed a sizable campaign war chest since then.

After handily beating back a token challenge from Paul Partyka in Tuesday's Democratic primary, Kosmas issued an election-night statement reiterating her moderate bona fides.

"I have fought to hold Washington accountable by opposing congressional pay raises and taxpayer-funded bailouts," Kosmas said.