As expected, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday ordered a special election for the vacant seat in Florida’s House District 64 for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The special primary election will be Feb. 10, with a special general election set for April 21. That means nearly 158,000 district residents won’t have representation in the state House of Representatives for the bulk of next year’s legislative session, which runs March 3-May 1. The move also potentially resets the field, with a new – though abbreviated – round of candidate qualifying set for 8 a.m. Dec. 15-noon Dec. 16. The previous incumbent, Republican Jamie Grant, on Monday said he will again file to run. He’s represented the district, covering northwest Hillsborough and eastern Pinellas, since 2010. His GOP challenger, Tampa engineer Miriam Steinberg, was less sure she would run again. In non-binding Nov. 4 results, Grant had won with 59.5 percent of the vote.
Steinberg’s husband, Tampa attorney Michael Steinberg, said Monday his wife might run again.
“We have to discuss it as a family,” he said.
Steinberg said he doubted any Democrats would run in the majority Republican district.
“I doubt anyone else would file to run except a write-in candidate that was put up by James Grant or the Republican Party,” he said.
Full Article: Scott orders special election for Tampa House seat | TBO.com, The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Times.