Ohio, Florida Voters Cast Ballots in Three Congressional Races

November 2, 2021by By Julie Carr Smyth, Associated Press
Ohio, Florida Voters Cast Ballots in Three Congressional Races
Laverne Gore, Republican candidate for the Ohio 11th District U.S. congressional seat, smiles during a campaign stop at a Summit County Republican Party get-together in Stow, Ohio, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Both Democrats and Republicans brought out their heavy hitters in the runup to the special congressional election in central Ohio, as the parties sought to boost turnout in one of three off-year contests on the ballot Tuesday.

President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence swung into action to help their parties’ candidates in the race for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, a seat vacated by Republican Steve Stivers in May, when he left to lead the state Chamber of Commerce.

Pence stumped Saturday for Republican coal lobbyist Mike Carey, endorsed by former President Donald Trump and favored in the GOP-learning district. Biden endorsed two-term Democratic state Rep. Allison Russo on Monday. Her bid for the open seat is considered the party’s most competitive in years, though she remains a long shot.

A second special congressional election is taking place in the Cleveland-area 11th Congressional District. That contest pits Democratic Cuyahoga County Councilmember Shontel Brown against Republican Laverne Gore, a business owner, consultant and trainer, for Democrat Marcia Fudge’s old seat. Fudge stepped down in March to become Biden’s housing secretary after nearly 13 years in Congress.

Brown, who bested firebrand progressive Nina Turner in the August primary, is considered a shoo-in to win in the heavily Democratic district.

In Florida, 11 Democrats are on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary special election for the seat of Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in April after suffering from pancreatic cancer. One of the candidates is state Rep. Omari Hardy, who was 3 years old when Hastings was elected in 1992. Hastings was the longest-serving member of Florida’s congressional delegation.

While two Republican candidates are also seeking the nomination to run for the 20th Congressional District seat, the district is heavily Democratic. The winner of the Democratic primary is considered a lock for January’s general election.

Turnout is expected to be low Tuesday, and it’s conceivable the next U.S. House member to represent the South Florida district can win the primary with 10% of the vote. The district is 61% Democratic and about 13% Republican. In the 2020 election, Hastings won 78.7% of the vote against Republican Greg Musselwhite. Musselwhite is again running for the GOP nomination, facing Jason Mariner.

State Sen. Perry Thurston and former state Rep. Priscilla Ann Taylor are also seeking the seat for Democrats, along with Broward County Commissioners Dale Holness and Barbara Sharief, both of whom previously served as county mayor. Others on the Democratic ballot are Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Elvin Dowling, Phil Jackson, Emmanuel Morel and Imran Uddin Siddiqui.

The district is a majority Black and covers parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. Heading into Election Day, out of the more than 345,000 eligible primary voters, nearly 33,000 Democrats and more than 4,000 Republicans had already cast votes.

___

Associated Press writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Fla., contributed to this report.

A+
a-
  • Congress
  • election
  • Ohio
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Elections

    Republican Vince Fong Advances to Runoff to Complete Term of ex-House Speaker McCarthy

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republican state Legislator Vince Fong advanced to a May election in California to decide who will... Read More

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republican state Legislator Vince Fong advanced to a May election in California to decide who will complete the remainder of the term of deposed former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which runs through January. It was not yet clear Tuesday night who will... Read More

    Tuesday's Primaries Include Key Senate Race in Ohio and Clues for Biden-Trump Rematch

    NEW YORK (AP) — Five states will hold presidential primaries on Tuesday as President Joe Biden and former President Donald... Read More

    NEW YORK (AP) — Five states will hold presidential primaries on Tuesday as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump continue to lock up support around the country after becoming their parties’ presumptive nominees. Trump is expected to easily win GOP primaries in Arizona, Florida, Illinois,... Read More

    Climate, a Major Separator for Biden and Trump, Is a Dividing Line in Many Other Races

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The race for the White House isn’t the only one with big stakes for climate policy.... Read More

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The race for the White House isn’t the only one with big stakes for climate policy. In campaigns for Congress and for governor around the country, candidates are talking about how green the grid should be, too. Voters are increasingly feeling the impacts... Read More

    Fake Images Made to Show Trump With Black Supporters Highlight Concerns Around AI and Elections

    WASHINGTON (AP) — At first glance, images circulating online showing former President Donald Trump surrounded by groups of Black people... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — At first glance, images circulating online showing former President Donald Trump surrounded by groups of Black people smiling and laughing seem nothing out of the ordinary, but a look closer is telling. Odd lighting and too-perfect details provide clues to the fact they... Read More

    February 29, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    White House Steps Up Effort to Get Voting Information to the Public

    WASHINGTON — Emails, new signage and three “national days of action” are all part of a stepped up effort by... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Emails, new signage and three “national days of action” are all part of a stepped up effort by the Biden-Harris administration to ensure voters know their rights and are able to participate in 2024 elections. The initiatives are part of the administration’s ongoing effort... Read More

    February 29, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Cornel West Secures Spot on South Carolina Ballot for November

    CHARLESTON, S.C. — Dr. Cornel West, who is waging an independent campaign for the presidency under the banner of his... Read More

    CHARLESTON, S.C. — Dr. Cornel West, who is waging an independent campaign for the presidency under the banner of his Justice for All Party, has secured a spot on the November ballot in South Carolina. West, the Dietrich Bonhoeffer professor of Philosophy and Christian practice at... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top