Former state Rep. Carl Domino is planning to run for Congress again as U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., continues his bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is running for president in 2016 instead of another term.
The Palm Beach Post reported on Tuesday that Domino is going to run for Congress again. Domino ran against Murphy last year but was blown out in November, losing the swing district by almost 20 percent despite Republicans in Florida and across the nation doing well. Having spent $1.2 million of his own money last time out, Domino told the Palm Beach Post that he could spend around $1 million more in 2016.
Domino burst on the Florida political scene in 2002 when he was elected to the Florida House. He served four terms in the Florida House, rising in the leadership as majority whip. Back in 2010, Domino lost a primary battle for a state Senate seat against Ellyn Bogdanoff, at the time a fellow member of the Republican caucus in the Florida House. Trying to return to the Florida House, in 2012 Domino lost the Republican primary to MaryLynn Magar. Domino won a crowded Republican primary last year but lost out to Murphy in the general election.
Despite those losses, Domino does have some impressive credentials. A Vietnam veteran, Domino served in the Navy, retiring as a commander in the reserves back in 1989. With a Harvard MBA, Domino, who turned 71 last month, has done well in the private sector as an investments manager leading Northern Trust Value Investors (NTVI). Last year, before the Republican primary, Domino graduated with a law degree from Nova Southeastern University.
Domino could be facing a crowded field of opponents. Currently, Palm Beach County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor and engineer Juan Xuna are running for the Democratic nomination. Martin County School Board member Rebecca Negron is running for the Republican nomination.
Last week, state Rep. Pat Rooney, R-West Palm Beach, said there was a 50-50 chance he could enter the contest. Conservative commentator Noelle Nickpour opened the door to running in the Republican primary in recent days. Sunshine State News reported last week that William Bill Castle, currently the general counsel to U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, was looking at entering the Republican primary.
There are several other possible candidates, including St. Lucie County Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky and Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay on the Democratic side, and state Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, St. Lucie County Commissioner Tod Mowery, Martin County Commissioner Doug Smith and businessman Gary Uber for the Republicans.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter:@KevinDerbySSN
