House Seat 36: Two Republicans, an independent and a write-in candidate, look to defeat Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, who represents parts of Orange County. It wont be an easy task. Randolph raised slightly less than $55,000 and kept most of it on hand -- with expenses of less than $17,500 at the end of July. Greg Reynolds raised a substantial amount more than Republican primary rival candidate Craig McCarthy, but neither campaign had much cash on hand at the end of July. Reynolds is the favorite to win the Republican nod but he will be an underdog to defeat Randolph. Independent Lawanna Gelzer and a write-in candidate will also be on the ballot come November.
House Seat 37: Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, will be returning to Tallahassee to represent parts of Orange and Seminole counties. Plakon is the only candidate running for this House seat.
House Seat 38: Rep. Bryan Nelson, R-Apopka, appears headed for another term to represent parts of Orange County. With no Democratic opponents or Republican primary challengers, Nelson will face TEA Party candidate James Heinie Heinzelman in November. With $45,000 in the bank at the end of July, Nelson should be headed back to Tallahassee.
House Seat 39: One member of the House Democratic leadership is headed back to Tallahassee for another two years: Rep. Geri Thompson, D-Orlando, who represents parts of Orange County, is running without opposition.
House Seat 40: Representing parts of Orange County, Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando, is a heavy favorite to win a second term. Having raised almost $110,000 and spent less than $19,000, he has an impressive war chest to hold off Democratic candidate Todd Christian and TEA Party candidate Darrine Dunmire. A veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Christian has some potential but he needs to make a serious effort at raising cash if he wants to make this race competitive. By the end of July, he had raised more than $11,000 and spent more than $6,000 -- certainly not enough on either end to catch Eisnaugle.
