By Javier Manjarres

With Congressman Connie Mack signalling that he will run for the U.S. Senate, Southwest Florida voters are already preparing to vet the slate of aspiring Republicans who hope to fill Mack’s soon to be vacant seat in the U.S. Congress. There are already several candidates who have announced their intentions including Chauncey Goss, the policy wonk and son of former Congressman and CIA Director Peter Goss,  Joseph Davidow, and Timothy Rossano.  Also likely running are Fox News Talk Radio host Trey Radel, Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall, and Florida State Representative Gary Aubuchon of Lee County.

Without a doubt, Sanibel resident Chauncey Goss, a consultant on fiscal policy, enjoys major name recognition and says that he is “very confident” with both his campaign and chances to win. Goss states that he is a “constitutional conservative Republican,” and has said that he has the support of his friend and mentor, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan (R).

Word on the street is that popular radio show host, the ‘conservative voice of SW Florida”, Trey Radel is seriously contemplating jumping into the crowded field of candidates vying for Mack’s seat.  Radel says that the country needs “more people with a business background and common sense” to lead it out of the economic mess that it is currently finds itself in.  Radel, an expectant father and spanish language aficionado resident from Fort Myers could spicen up the race were he to jump in.  The winner of the Republican primary race, will be favored to win the general election, as southwest Florida is an area that Republicans dominate.

Another factor that will be important in this race is the forthcoming redistricting of Florida’s congressional map.  Florida is gaining two more more Congressional seats, and one will likely be dropped into SW Florida- which might prompt several of the candidates currently running for the 14th congressional district seat to jump into the race for the newly drawn seat.  The final redistricting maps are not likely to be official until May or June of 2012 due to the likely litigation that is set to follow the completion of the maps, litigation stemming from the passage of Amendments 5 & 6-calling for ‘fair’ districts to be drawn.

Time will tell as to exactly how the new congressional districts will be drawn, but one thing that fairly certain is there will be two new representatives in Congress representing Southwest Florida come November 2012.