Rep. Holly Merrill Raschein, R-Key Largo, has drawn a major Democratic opponent as she seeks to defend one of the more competitive seats in the Florida House of Representatives.
Businesswoman and community leader Pamela Gray filed her paperwork Monday to challenge for the House seat, which represents all of Monroe County and parts of Miami-Dade. Filing as a Democrat, Gray had run for the Miami-Dade Commission in 2010, before withdrawing and throwing her support behind another candidate. Gray served as president of the Redlands Citizens Association and served as chairwoman of the Miami-Dade Planning Advisory Board.
First elected in 2012 to the Florida House, Raschein won the seat after then-House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders faced term limits and set his eyes on running for the Florida Senate. Still, she is no newcomer to Tallahassee. She worked as an aide to former Rep. Ken Sorensen.
In the 2012 election cycle, Raschein routed former Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson in the Republican primary. But the general election proved much closer. Raschein managed to defeat Democratic candidate Ian Whitney by less than 3,000 votes despite the Republican outspending the Democrat by a wide margin.
Raschein has shown a talent for fundraising, bringing in more than $264,500 in cash in the last election cycle while using almost $96,000 through in-kind donations. So far, she has raised $11,650 for the 2014 cycle and spent less than $1,500 in the first quarter of 2013. However, she was not able to fundraise when the Legislature was in session, essentially tying her hands for most of March.
Democrats should be able to keep it close in this district. Saunders has certainly proven that Democrats can do well in the Keys though he comes from a very prominent family and has been in politics for decades. While he lost by less than 3,000 votes out of around 59,000 total ballots cast, Whitney spent considerably less than Raschein did in 2012, going through more than $74,500 in cash and relying on almost $63,000 through in-kind donations.
With Gov. Rick Scott on the ballot in 2014, the gubernatorial election could help determine Rascheins chances for a second term. In 2010, Monroe County was a mirror of the state as a whole, with Republican nominee Scott taking 48.25 percent and Democratic candidate Alex Sink taking 48.13 percent there.
With a record of close elections in the district, Democrats have to feel they at least have a chance of knocking off Raschein. While she starts off as the favorite, she cant take anything for granted as she seeks a second term.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News.
