A trio of mini-sagas has been concluded as state senators Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, Steve Oelrich, R-Gainesville, and Jim Norman, R-Tampa, all filed their qualifying paperwork.
Friday is the final day for candidates to qualify, with paperwork due by noon with the state Division of Elections.
Flling for legislative office should be allowed on the local level. I think only filing in Tallahassee is sponsored by FedEx, Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, joked on Twitter before qualifying on Thursday.
By Thursday afternoon, 384 people -- 223 Republicans and 160 Democrats -- had qualified to appear on the ballot as congressional or legislative candidates in Florida.
Still, with all the candidates, without additional changes, 18 of Florida's 40 Senate seats -- 12 Republican and six Democrat -- could be won Friday without opposition and 43 of the 120 House seats -- 30 GOP, 13 Democrat.
View Florida House candidates here.
View Florida Senate candidates here.
Without judging the level of opposition, among Florida's congressional district only U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, may be re-elected without a primary or general election challenge.
View U.S. Senate candidates here.
View U.S. House candidates here.
Another 30 are official write-in candidates, of which 12 are the only challengers to major party candidates from a single party, effectively closing open primaries.
The write-in candidates currently close three Democratic primaries, one in the state House and two in the Senate.
For the GOP, write-in candidates close nine primaries, of which six are in the state House, two in the Senate and one congressional race, the District 4 seat held by incumbent Ander Crenshaw, R-Jacksonville.
In three closely watched races:
Latvala qualified shortly after tweeting Wednesday that he would remain in his North Pinellas home District 20 seat instead of taking on Rep. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg in District 22.
Brandes already has competition coming from fellow House member Jim Frishe, R-St. Petersburg. Frishe and Latvala had considered switching contests, which would have required both to move.
Oelrich, first elected to the Senate in 2006, as expected qualified to take on U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Ocala, in a crowded primary field that includes Clay County Clerk of Courts James Jett and large-animal veterinarian Ted Yoho.
Despite word that efforts were under way to keep him from running, Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, has qualified to run. Norman joins what is expected to be an expensive primary battle against House Speaker Pro Tempore John Legg, R-Port Richey.
Legg entered the second quarter of the year with more than $120,000 in the bank. Norman, who has raised $177,820 since the start of 2011, had a little more than $104,000 on hand as the second quarter began.
Sources within the district had told Sunshine State News that some in the GOP leadership were working to get Norman out of the race, though they were unsure as to what his intentions are. Norman --who has drawn fire on ethical issues and was among the Senate Republicans breaking ranks against prison privatization in the recent legislative session --survived a brutal primary battle with fellow Republican Kevin Ambler in 2010.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
