By the numbers: state legislative qualifying

The dust settled from today's filing deadline for legislative candidates. Here's how it breaks down by the numbers.

In the state Senate, 21 seats were up for grabs.
-Seven open races with no incumbent (Senate districts 9, 23, 24, 29, 31, 35, 37)
-Nine incumbents face challengers
-Five incumbents won re-election when no opponent filed to run
-One won election without a challenge (Republican Garret Richter in Senate District 37)

In the state House, 120 seats were up for grabs.
-32 open races with no incumbent
-54 incumbents face challengers
-31 incumbents won re-election when no opponent filed to run
-Two won election without a challenge (Republican Tom Grady in House District 76 and Democrat Mark Pafford in House District 88)

Comments

Cagate

Remember in November that the REPBUBLICANS wanted to give $CSX over $700 million (now we've heard the "true" number is closer to $1.5 BILLILON).

Remember in November that the REPUBLICANS did spend $410 million for a sports stadium for a private professional sports team!

Remember in November that the REPUBLICANS did spend $110 million to improve an air port for the St. Joe Paper Company and an additional $10 million for the road for St. Joe.

Remember in November the REPUBLICANS cut: EDUCATION, child abuse investigators, foster care workers, nursing home inspectors, parole officers, and services to the severely mentally and physically handicapped.

Remember in November the REPUBLICANS DIDN'T CUT: Legislative staff, district staff, their full-time benefits for their part-time jobs, their "special" travel benefits.

Remember in November the REPUBLICANS REFUSED to fix property insurance for the middle class while INCREASING THE SURCHARGES so the beach-front vacation homes of the rich could get affordable insurance.

Remember in November that PROPERTY TAXES HAVEN'T FALLEN LIKE A ROCK; that the only cuts have been to children, the elderly and the handicapped; that rather than invest in attracting industries that pay living wages, they increased spending on Private Prisons (who OWNS those prisons).

Remember in November that the REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE has worked hard to turn the middle class into the workin poor as they feed from the trough and send their kids to private schools.

Remember in November.

no tu

Hey remember, Remember this you Democrats keep drinking the kool aid. The GOP will hold the Senate and the House AGAIN! Heck we almost elected 20 before the voting even starts. Here in Pinellas we have 4 of 7 of our constiutional officers re-elected without any Democrat jumping in. In the other three the D's are jokes.
People will remember in November, and they will vote for the best person and in these three races and many more around the state, THEY ARE REPUBLICAN's

So there!

[Bryan]

Hey 8:00am... How is the view from your perspective? I would try to check it out myself, but I am not flexible enough to get my head that far up my own rear end!!!

[Bryan]

Hey 8:00am... How is the view from your perspective? I would try to check it out myself, but I am not flexible enough to get my head that far up my own rear end!!!

Bryan, childish, low life, gutter talking D. You are so angry! Maybe you need some anger management to become human?

TE DIJE QUE TE CAGUES!!!!!

[Jim Johnson]

Of the nine Senate members who face "challengers" - two of the challengers are in minor parties, assuring the incumbents of victory in the fall.

Of the House members...
* Seven face only write in candidates (including Ambler and Scionti here in Tampa)
* Two face only minor party candidates, assuring the incumbents of victory in the fall.

As I wrote on State of Sunshine: "Of the 161 seats in the Florida Legislature up for election in 2008, 50 are effectively uncontested, assuring victory for the Republican or Democrat candidate."

[nomar]

Look for a change in District 38, [Brummer's former seat]. What was once a safe R seat after redistricting in 2002 is now led in registration by D's again. This is not a good time to be running as a R insurance agent who can't get a bill passed in the legislature.

Jim, only 140 seats are up for election in 2008. I can't believe you wrote a whole book on the subject and didn't understand that...

We need to shift from REPUBLICANS to DEMOCRAT in the house, senate and governor house. These REPUBLICANS are playing with everyone basic right to one person one vote in our state primary election. What next with these REPUBLICANS in our government; legislate away our right to free speech? Also, REPUBLICANS legislature did a great job of hiding to their REPUBLICANS residents in that their full vote did not count either in this primary election(I guess they thought their constituents is too ignorant to notice). Fortunately the Democrats stood up and fight for the one person one vote.

POR EL AMOR DE DIOS...CAGUENSE TODOS!!!!