Rouson wins state House District 55 primary

Darryl Rouson, the hard-charging attorney and former head of the NAACP, won the Democratic primary for the state house in District 55 tonight.

Rouson won about 44 percent of the vote, beating out two opponents, St. Petersburg City Councilman Earnest Williams and Charles McKenzie, an educator and minister.

McKenzie led in Hillsborough, Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The special election, prompted after Gov. Charlie Crist tapped Rep. Frank Peterman to run the Department of Juvenile Justice, had a low turnout. About 10 percent of registered Democrats turned out. In Pinellas County, where two-thirds of the Democrats in the district live, turnout was a little higher at about 14 percent.

Rouson will face write-in candidate Calvester Benjamin-Anderson in a general election on April 15.

Stephanie Garry, Times staff writer