House Seat 101: Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples, has one of the most unusual districts in the state, touching both coasts and covering parts of Broward and Collier counties. With no Democrat running to oppose him, Hudson has done well in stockpiling his war chest, spending less than $4,500 of the little more than $116,000 he had raised by the end of July. It does not look like he will need to tap into it too much in the 2010 campaign. Larry Wilcoxson is challenging Hudson as a candidate without party affiliation but he has already spent all of the more than $1,100 he raised by the end of July. Hudson appears headed for another term in Tallahassee.
House Seat 102: With only a write-in candidate standing in his way of another term, it looks like Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, R-Hialeah Gardens, will represent parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties in Tallahassee for another two years.
House Seat 103: Rep. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, is headed back to the House. Representing parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Braynon does not have any opponents in the race.
House Seat 104: With Rep. Yolly Roberson, D-North Miami Beach, running for Congress, five Democrats are seeking this seat, which represents parts of Miami-Dade County. North Miami Beach City Councilman John Patrick Julien raised more than $44,000, loaned his campaign $1,000, and spent almost $31,000 by the end of July. That should make him the front-runner as the other candidates in the race are not doing well in terms of raising funds. Having loaned her campaign $15,000 and raised just under $4,000, attorney Dominique Simon spent more than $11,500 to catch Julien. Attorney Michael Etienne loaned his campaign more than $8,400 but had less than $500 cash on hand at the end of July. Helped by loaning his campaign more than $2,000, businessman and grad student Michael Hepburn had less than $1,000 on hand. Keep an eye on political activist Matthew Tisdol. While the state has not posted his financial figures, Tisdol has gained the backing of the AFL-CIO, the FEA and the United Teachers of Dade and ASCME. With labor coming out to vote in the U.S. Senate primary and the congressional race, this could help propel Tisdol in this race. There is no Republican in the race so whoever wins the primary heads to Tallahassee.
House Seat 105: Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, will be able to represent parts of Broward County for another two years. Gibbons will be the only candidate come November.
