Republican John Mica hasn't had much of a problem defending his congressional seat over the years, and now he faces a battle from Democratic challenger Heather Beaven, a Navy veteran from Flagler County.
Beaven has attracted national attention and has the backing of prominent Democrats, including former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Attacking Mica on his support for oil drilling, Beaven looks poised to offer Mica a tougher challenge than he's faced in years.
But Mica has been in Congress since winning the seat in 1992 and has more than $1.1 million on hand. He remains the favorite to hold on to the seat. Beaven said Friday that she has raised more than $60,000 in the last quarter and has more than $50,000 on hand. Mica is certainly the favorite, but it looks like he'll have to work harder than he has been accustomed to if he wants to retain the seat.