TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Monday was the official beginning of what many are calling the most chaotic election cycle in recent history. This is the week for would-be candidates to put up or shut up.
Candidates who belong to a political party can pay a fee equal to 6 percent of the job’s annual salary to qualify. No-party affiliates pay a lesser fee. Write-in candidates pay nothing.
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By late June, most candidates and races have been well settled. That’s not the case this year, according to Democratic consultant Screven Watson.
“Crazy," Watson said when asked how he would describe this political year. "I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this in decades. It’s amazing, but in the state Senate on the Democratic side of the aisle, only four incumbents are coming back. That’s crazy.”
That’s four out of 14, setting up dominoes that will fall all week.
Candidates have until noon Friday to qualify.
David Johnson filed the paperwork for two Republican state Senate candidates.
“It’s bit of redistricting," Johnson said. "It’s an angry electorate.”
But with all that anger, the approach doesn’t appear to be changing.
“Opposition to the president's policies is very popular, popular platform to run on,” Johnson said.
Also not changing is the write-in candidate law, allowing a straw candidate to close a primary simply by submitting some free paperwork, thwarting the idea that everyone’s voice should count.
Incumbent members of Congress qualifying on Monday included Republican Ted Yoho, Democrat Corrine Brown, Republican John Mica, Republican Bill Posey, Republican Dan Webster (who is switching districts), Democrat Kathy Castor, Republican Dennis Ross, Republican Vern Buchanan, Republican Tom Rooney, Democrat Ted Deutch, Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican Carlos Curbelo and Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
Also, some former state lawmakers formalized their comeback attempts.
Former state Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, was one of two candidates to file in Senate District 11, along with Apopka Democrat Bob Sindler. Meanwhile, former Democratic Rep. Mike Clelland qualified in Senate District 13, along with Republican Dean Asher and Democrat Rick Roach. Former House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Lauderhill, filed in Senate District 33, as did Republican opponent Antoaneta Iotova. Former Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, filed in Senate District 34, along with current Rep. Gwyn Clarke-Reed, D-Deerfield Beach.
Former Rep. Ricardo Rangel, D-Kissimmee, qualified for a rematch in House District 43 against incumbent Rep. John Cortes, D-Kissimmee, who also filed qualifying paperwork Monday. Another notable name in the House is Katherine Van Zant, the wife of outgoing state Rep. Charles Van Zant, a Keystone Heights Republican who is being forced out by term limits. She qualified in House District 19, as did Palatka Republican Bobby Payne.