Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, and former Rep. Aaron Bean of Fernandina Beach made it official Wednesday, filing their qualifying paperwork to run for the Florida Senate.
Their entries expanded the number of Republican congressional and legislative primary contests that will occur across the state in August as the qualifying week enters its final two days.
So far there are 31 Republican primaries lined across Florida, including the statewide U.S. Senate contest and 10 congressional races.
Meanwhile, Naples businessman Glenn Burkett qualified Wednesday to set up a Democratic primary with Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando. The entry into the contest by Burkett, who also ran for the office in 2010, gives Democrats three congressional primary contests, two state Senate races and 10 Florida House races.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Republicans and Democrats are set to hook up in 49 contests across the state, including 16 of the 27 U.S. House races.
View qualified Florida House candidates here.
View qualified Florida Senate candidates here.
In eight other contests, a majority party candidate is going to face a challenger with no party label.
U.S. Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, and Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, were -- as of Wednesday -- the only House members from Florida without opposition this year.
View qualified Florida U.S. House candidates here.
View qualified Florida Senate candidates here.
Of the 120 state House seats, the two major parties have 32 head to head contests currently lined up.
However, adding fuel to those who have criticized the Senates redistricting effort, only two GOP-Dem match-ups are currently set up for the 40 open Senate seats in November.
Stargel is taking on two Republican challengers, including Jack Myers, the mayor of Auburndale, and a former Polk County commissioner, as they run for the District 16 seat held by term-limited Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland.
Bean is taking on Rep. Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville, who had already qualified to run for the Senate District 4 seat in Northeast Florida.
The district 4 and 16 seats are among the few at the moment that could be open primaries, meaning all eligible registered voters, regardless of party, can vote.
Both Weinstein and Bean have been busy collecting big-name support and money as they seek to replace term-limited Sen. Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville.
Bean has collected $341,455.94, while Weinsteins contributions total $163,100, of which $150,000 is his from his own bank account.
In the District 15 race, Stargel raised $18,000 in the first quarter of the year, leaving her with a little more than $100,000 on hand as the second quarter got under way.
Myers picked up $26,990 in the first quarter of the year, bringing his overall contributions to $127,110. He has already spent $53,769.
The third candidate in the primary, Ron Rushing of Windermere, has spent nearly half of the $6,609.75 he has raised.
Qualifying continues until noon Friday.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
