It's early, of course, but if the financial statements submitted to the Florida Division of Elections are any indication, it appears the winner of the 2016 Democratic primary to replace state Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, will be Perry Thurston. When it comes to fundraising, it's not even close.
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| Thurston |
Thurston, the former House Democratic Leader, faces a former colleague, state Rep. Gwyn Clarke-Reed, D-Deerfield Beach, in the race to succeed Smith whose career in the Florida Legislature is coming to an end because of term limits. The 31st senate district stretches from Deerfield Beach southwest through Fort Lauderdale and west to Sunrise and includes much of central Broward County's black communities.
Thurston became a state representative in 2006, following in the footsteps of Smith who left the then 93rd House District to run for the state Senate. In 2012, Thurston became Minority Leader, heading the chamber's Democratic caucus. Clarke-Reed was elected in 2008. She was re-elected to the House District 93 seat and is poised to head the Broward County Legislative Delegation before she has to leave the Florida House inn 2016 because of term limits.
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| Clarke-Reed |
The contributions are coming from almost everywhere. The Ruben Group has kicked in $1,000. So did Southeast Toyota Distributors and the Miami Dolphins. After years in Tallahassee, Thurston is proving skeptics that he can pull in political contributions, something he didn't do enough in his failed bid to become his party's nominee for Florida Attorney General.
Granted, Thurston has been running for the seat even before he was term-limited out of the Legislature in 2014. Clarke-Reed is the late entry and apparently has a lot of ground to cover.
By Doug Lyons
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