Hudson wins House 101 GOP primary

Matt Hudson, a Realtor and fire district commissioner, beat three competitors in the GOP primary for House District 101.

He will take on Democrat Linda McDonald on Nov. 20 in a contest to replace Republican Mike Davis of Naples, who died of cancer last month.

Hudson took 37 percent of the vote in a win over former Davis aide Eric Zichella who raised far more money than his opponents and garnered 33 percent. Christopher Spencer fared well, with Gerald Lefebvre barely showing. Voter turnout was 10 percent.

Comments

[LongtimeRepublican]

He may be a great guy, but the Republican Party has abandoned its constituents. The only way to get its attention is either to stay home or vote democratic.

A very sad state of affairs.

4:45/Eric, please go to sleep. Your comment makes no sense in relation to this race

It was nice to see both Zichella and Spencer endorse Hudson right after the results came in... it was a classy move by them both after a hard fought race.

I bet Hudson will get along well with Lee Constatine

I wonder what effect those nasty attack ads against Zichella on behalf of Hudson will have on Zichella's supporters in November? Voters do not like negative mailers.

Linda McDonald is very popular in Collier County and is more fiscally conservative than Hudson.She also is closer in political philosophy (i.e. affordable housing)to beloved former Rep Mike Davis than Hudson.

7:29-

2400 Republicans requested absentee ballots to vote in the primary. About 350 dems did.

It is an unbelievably huge hole for the dems to climb out of.

7:06,

Why? Matt Hudson likes women.

This is a lesson. There have been three special elections in the last 6 weeks. In 2, the person who had the second most money won. In the 3rd, it was close.

Bottom line - it doesn't cost 250k or 140k to run a state house race in a special.

Congrats Matt, you will make a good member

I see that Eric and all of his friends (one) have been blogging here already. Doesn't he have signs to go pull up?

Thank you to the Realtors and anyone else who trashed Zichella. You have done this state and the costituents of 101 a great service by making sure Zichella wouldn't win. I shudder at the thought of that 27 year old, egomaniac in Tallahassee.

Eric has friends?

This cat has bathroom "Toe-tapper" written all over his mug.

Eric would have done well had he not threatened just about every person he called. He is overly confident and in the end, THAT is what lost him the race. Going negative didn't really much matter - they were the super voters out there that voted - those people who have already made up their minds before E.Z.'s commercials or the attack mailers.

It was very classy for both Zichella and Spencer to endorse Hudson and I am sure he is thankful for that.

I hope this race taught some people the art of humbleness.

Mike Davis's widow was a huge fan and friend of Eric; it won't make the new guy's transition easy. But people in Collier were really turned off by Eric's ego and demeanor. Most of the did know him, maybe not well but enough, that was part of the problem.

How can you lose a race when you have 149K to spend in a months time. What a waste and Eric should be ashamed of the campaign. He took a lot of peoples personal money and wasted it. Hudson did not race 50K and won. These candidates need to learn that grassroots is #1 in a special election. I am glad Eric did not win and maybe he can go out and do what he claimed he has done. If he was such a seasoned consultant he would not have lost this race. The truth came out.

7:06, that is not a very nice thing to say about Hudson, I don't see any similarities between Matt and Lee.

Thank GOD Hudson won! Eric is the most cocky, self-absorded egomanic I have ever met.
He hasn't changed since his college days. I think he should just go work for daddy and never resurface.
How embarassing to raise 145K and LOSE!
All Hudson had to do to win was let Eric open his mouth.
Hey Eric, stay down south cuz we don't want or need you up here where the grownups work.

Eric's comments were a class act. He grew up alot during this race - if the slimy realtors said those things about me and my family I would be hard pressed to endorse anyone. Zichella ran a clean race he should be proud of.

Zichella ran a clean race? Are you on crack?

Zicjhella’s arrogance throughout this race has been astounding.

I guess since the realtors cant sell houses now they are taking the time to blog. Hudson is a lightweight and won't account for anything in the house. I hope FAR is happy that they got their guy to Tallahassee.

Eric should have gone negative first, if he did he could have won the race.

[Jason]

Have the absentee ballots been counted yet? And were most of them requested from Broward or Collier?

Sorry, but there is nothing classy about Zichella. He is basically a punk wannabe.

I will take Realtors over trial lawyers any day. Zichella soled himself to the trial bar for campaign contributions.

9:24 – Eric has never worked on a winning race in his life…But having $140,000 + and losing must be a new record.

Who were Zichellas consultants? Anyone know? How did they piss away 150 grand and lose - WITH the endorsement of the Davis family?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Dave Wolfson and Zichella ran this disaster

Zcihella used to call and threaten people for contributions…amazing

Just hearing from my friends in the area, it was Eric's arrogance that lost him this race. It was a shame, he is really a good guy, I don't know what happened to him???!!!???

How about the Realtors pumping in $200k into the race? You think that overcomes Zichella's fundraising advantage? All mail, all TV, all radio...bought and paid for by the Realtors. And now Hudson is too.

The elite political strategy group, Zichella Strategies, ran Zichella's campaign. I believe they were also used in Byrd's US Senate race, Domino's Speaker race and Clay Shaw's reelection bid. I'm noticing a trend.

Hey 10:42, and the builders didn't put any money into Zichella's campaign? Come on, now......

What you're seeing is a case of "turnabout is fair play". Builders have played dirty for years and Realtors have done the entire state of Florida a favor by taking him down.

10:41 - unless you're being sarcastic about Eric, you must his mother.

I can honestly that I have never heard a candidate for state house get slammed as frequently or as harshly as the Eric Zichella was. The dude needs to wait ten years, lose the ego, accomplish something outside of the process and then try again.

EZ Come - EZ Goes

The guy is a big fat bald headed LOSER!!!!

11:05

Seriously now, EZ isnt fat.

Still got that knife, S.A? Who are you going to stab in the back now?

1110

that was cold and calculated- WOW!

SA? stab in the back? Former Aide fight!

[GOP Girl]

THANK GOD Eric "I will not talk with you about my campaign unless you give me $500" Zichella lost!!!What a JERK!

[Sybil]

As a Democrat reading the "diary" I notice that noen of these Republican candidates inspired many to get out and vote. Sorry state of affairs if you're a Repubican.

In all fairness, would SAs extra Gs even mattered? Eric outspent Hudson but 100k or something like that- I am sure it appears like a personal slap, but long ago a wise woman taught me- it is politics not personal

JP. Still looking out for EZ after all these years. How cute.

Guys,

Lets not let one lost race come between friends. We've come a long way from the heights we started at to start slamming each other on blogs.

WhooooHoooo… another 34% of a 15% turnout LANDSLIDE victory!

The people have spoken!… or at least 5.238% of them have.

politics 101

never get in a battle with someone who is buys ink by the barrel!

[SG1]

This particular blog thread is a sad commentary on some of you folks. The immaturity, namecalling, juvenile behavior.

Some of you "consultants" need to grow up and have your sorry priorities reordered. Seriously, get a life. Someone runs for office and loses and you pile on him like this. Its embarassing for anyone in the process to read this garbage.

shut up and pass 'em collard greens.

SG1 - so I take that never had the displeasure of meeting Eric. I respect anyone who wishes to serve and brave enough to run. After meeting "You better give me a check before I talk to you" arrogant ego manic - it was quite clear that he was the wrong person ever to serve office.
I just hope that loser stays away from Tallahassee. After meeting him once, you'll never want to be around him again.