Florida Democrats are weighing in early in Florida’s 18th congressional district Democratic Party primary race. It appears as if newly-elected Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay will be the Democrat choice to take on the Republican nominee to replace departing Congressman Patrick Murphy (D) in 2016.
According to the Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach Country Mayor Shelley Vana has endorsed McKinlay over fellow Palm Beach County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor, who has also announced that she would be seeking the Democratic nomination in CD 18.McKinlay has already nabbed the endorsements of Senators Joe Abruzzo, Jeremy Ring, Jeff Clemens, and Rep. David Kerner.
And with one other notable Democrat elected official getting ready to announced his endorsement for McKinlay in this congressional race, Democrats have indeed picked their candidate.
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As far as the Republicans running in this congressional primary race, there are a total of six, possibly more, vying to be their party’s nominee.
There is no frontrunner in this race, but there does seem to be one candidate that Democrats seem to fear the most, Brian Mast.
According to the aforementioned Democrat, who will be endorsing Melissa McKinlay, he believes that the general election will be between McKinlay and Mast, adding that whenever anyone mentions CD 18, the first candidates that comes up in conversation is that of Brian Mast. Mast is a combat veteran and double-amputee, who has been able to garner unprecedented nationwide news coverage, including a couple appearances of Fox News, after announcing that he would be running for the U.S. Congress.
Other Republican candidates in the race are St. Lucie County Commissioner Tod Mowery, who recently had his campaign kick-off event. Martin County School Board Member Rebecca Negron, wife of State Senator Joe Negron (R) has also announced her congressional candidacy, as has Republican attorney Rick Kozell, businessman Paul Spain, and former state Rep. Carl Domino, who lost to Rep. Patrick Murphy by 20 points in last year’s Republican wave elections.
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