House Seat 86: With Rep. Maria Lorts Sachs, D-Delray Beach, running for the Senate, the Democrats will keep this seat representing Palm Beach County as no Republican is running in the race. Lori Berman, a former congressional aide and an attorney, appears to have this seat in the bag. Berman raised almost $109,000 and spent more than $63,000. Her opponent in the primary, Carole Penny Kaye, raised less than $5,000, loaned her campaign $2,000 and spent most of that. Berman is a heavy favorite to win the nomination and thus the seat.
House Seat 87: Now held by House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, the Republicans expect to carry this seat in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Former Boca Raton City Councilman Bill Hager has posted impressive fund-raising figures, pulling in more than $109,000 and spending more than $72,000. Former Assistant State Attorney Hava Holzhauer is the Democrat in the race and, while she is an impressive candidate, she needs to increase her fund-raising, having taken in less than $35,000. This one has the potential to get interesting but right now Hager is the favorite to keep this seat for the GOP.
House Seat 88: Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, hopes to win a second term representing voters in parts of Palm Beach County. Pafford raised more than $62,000 and spent more than $40,000 to keep his seat over Democratic primary challenger Ron Miranda. Miranda is the husband of Palms West Chamber of Commerce CEO Jaene Miranda and, while he has only been in the race for less than two months, he has raised more than $11,000 and loaned his campaign $3,000. Pafford should prevail but Miranda can do some damage in the final weeks of the primary with almost $11,500 in the bank at the end of July. Still, Pafford is the favorite. Whoever wins will face a write-in candidate come November.
House Seat 89: With Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-Lake Worth, retiring, her husband Peter hopes to keep this seat in Palm Beach County in the family fold. Pete Brandenburg raised more than $46,000 and has spent more than $21,000 so far. But he does not have an open shot at the Democratic nomination. Former Lake Worth Mayor Jeff Clemens, who had served as an aide to Mary Brandenburg, is running for the seat, raising almost $25,000 and spending almost $18,000 in his bid by the end of July.This primary is one to watch but Brandenburg should have the edge. Whoever emerges in the Democratic primary should have an easy time defeating Republican candidate Steven Rosenblum who has had problems raising money.
House Seat 90: Two Democrats and a Republican are running for this seat in Broward and Palm Beach counties currently held by Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Fort Lauderdale, who is running for the Senate. Former Rep. Irving "Irv" Slosberg raised more than $24,000 and loaned his campaign $13,500 but spent more than $34,000. He faces educator Sheldon "Klassy" Klasfeld for the Democratic nomination. Klasfeld loaned his campaign more than $12,000 but spent more than $8,000 of it. Slosberg should prevail over Klasfeld to win the Democratic nod. Whoever emerges in the Democratic primary will be a favorite over Alison Rampersad, a businesswoman who has the Republican nomination in the race.
