Eric Eisnaugle Cruises in HD 44 GOP Primary

Former state Rep. Eric Eisnaugle took a step closer to returning to Tallahassee on Tuesday as he won the Republican primary in a special election for an open Florida House seat.

With early votes counted and 24 of 32 precincts in, Eisanugle beat out educator Vicki Bell in the Republican primary with 84 percent. Bell took 16 percent.

First elected to the Florida House in 2008, Eisnaugle was gearing up to run for a third term in 2012 until his plans were changed by redistricting. Eisnaugle landed in the same district with fellow Republican Rep. Steve Precourt who was running for his fourth and final term in the House. Despite bowing out in 2012, Eisnaugle simply changed his focus to 2014 when Precourt would face term limits. With Precourt resigning to take a position with the Orlando-Orange County Expressway, Eisnaugle shifted his efforts to run in the special election.