House Seat 106: Voters in parts of Miami-Dade will be represented in Tallahassee by Rep. Richard Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, for two more years. He is the only candidate in the election.
House Seat 107: Republicans think they have a chance to knock off Rep. Luis Garcia, D-Miami, and they do -- but it wont be easy. There are two candidates hoping to earn the Republican nomination. Dr. Tony Japour, a physician who also owns an Internet art dealership, did very well in raising funds at the start of the campaign but the money flow seems to be slowing down. Japour raised $56,000 in contributions and he loaned the campaign $25,000. At the end of July, Japour had more than $42,000 in the bank. He faces Gustavo Barreiro in the Republican primary. Barreiro raised more than $39,000 and loaned his campaign more than $3,300. By the end of July he had around $20,000 in the bank. Barreiro served four terms in the House -- but he also was given the boot from leading the Department of Juvenile Justice in early 2009 with whispers about improper computer use. While the Republicans have a chance, Garcia is the favorite -- but certainly not an overwhelming one -- to win another term. Having raised just under $80,000, Garcia has most of it left, with more than $54,000 on hand at the end of July.
House Seat 108: With Rep. Ronald Brise, D-North Miami, headed to the PSC, two Democrats are battling it out for the seat which represents parts of Miami-Dade. Neither candidate has posted impressive fund-raising numbers. North Miami City Clerk Alix Desulme netted $9,450 in cash and added $7,000 in loans while spending more than $8,000 by the end of July. He faces nurse and businesswoman Daphne Campbell in the Democratic primary. Campbell raised more than $10,000 in contributions and loaned the campaign more than $3,000 -- but spent more than $9,000 of that by the end of July. With no other candidates in the race, whoever prevails in the primary will be heading to Tallahassee.
House Seat 109: With Rep. James Bush, D-Miami, running for Congress, four Democrats will battle it out to represent the voters of parts of Miami-Dade. Attorney Cynthia Stafford, who was an aide to former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek and ran for the seat in 2008, is the favorite, raising more than $22,000 and spending more than $16,000. Bernadine Bush, a teacher who is married to Rep. Bush, is relying on name recognition and has done little in terms of fund-raising, bringing in more than $4,000 and spending only $1,269 by the end of July. Community activist Bess McElroy is also running and she loaned her campaign $10,000 and had the most cash on hand at the end of July. Roy Hardemon, who has been running for this seat off and on since 1998, is back for one more try. With no Republicans in the race, whoever wins the Democratic primary will win the seat.
House Seat 110: Rep. Esteban Bovo, R-Hialeah, will have another two years to represent Miami-Dade. He is the only candidate in the race.
