Hopefuls have already started to line up for the new Senate districts, eying vacant and redrawn seats that will force incumbents to learn new constituents in the upper chamber, though the boundaries have yet to be formally approved.
The possibility exists for only two contests among sitting Senate incumbents under the revamped map. Still, with term limits and some congressional aspirations, the Senate has 14 to 15 open seats and a number of current and former House members believe they are ready to move up.
But first the House must approve the Senate map that was passed Thursday, a virtual certainty. Then the proposal returns to the Florida Supreme Court, which already invalidated the first Senate effort for failing to follow the voter-approved Fair Districts amendment requirements that districts dont favor incumbents.
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith predicted the court will again reject the map.
It has become abundantly clear that the GOP-controlled Legislature lacks the leadership to draw maps that comply with Fair Districts, Smith stated in a release. As expected, we now turn to the courts to enforce the people's will."
The court will have 30 days to approve the Senate plan or redraw the lines before the qualifying period for the Legislature begins the week of June 4.
The latest map should easily maintain the GOPs hold on the Senate, although the advantage -- based on recent voting trends -- could be reduced by a seat or two because of the majority of precincts in 23 of the new districts that favored Republican GOP candidate John McCain in 2008.
Currently. there are 28 Republicans and 12 Democrats in the Senate.
Senate President-designate Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said he does not intend to cede one square inch of Florida to the Democratic Party." But he acknowledged that, under the map he helped craft as chairman of the Senate Reapportionment Committee, the current advantage may be difficult to maintain.
He loosely recalled the Frederick the Great quote: He who defends everything defends nothing.
Lets put it this way, Frederick the Great said that to defend on all fronts is to defend on no fronts. But everywhere we believe we have a reasonable chance and a solid candidate who is lifted up by their community, and who generates local support, we plan to be there shoulder to shoulder, Gaetz said.
Among the representatives looking to make the jump to the Senate:
Republicans Keith Perry of Gainesville, Dorothy Hukill of Port Orange, Mike Weinstein of Jacksonville, Kelli Stargel of Lakeland, John Legg of Port Richey, House Budget Chair Denise Grimsley of Sebring, Bill Galvano of Bradenton and Trudi Wilson of Fort Myers.
Democrats Geraldine Thompson of Orlando, Joe Abruzzo of Wellington, Jeff Clemens of Lake Worth, Mack Bernard of West Palm Beach, and Dwight Bullard of Miami.
Bullard is seeking the South Florida region represented by his mother, Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, since 2002.
He isnt the only family relation with an eye on the Senate.
Victoria Siplin, the wife of Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, is running. The senator cant run due to term limits.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
