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Representative Ross Spano Loses Florida Republican Primary Representative Ross Spano Loses Florida Republican Primary
(32 minutes later)
MIAMI — Representative Ross Spano lost his Republican primary on Tuesday, becoming the highest-profile Florida incumbent to lose his seat this year.MIAMI — Representative Ross Spano lost his Republican primary on Tuesday, becoming the highest-profile Florida incumbent to lose his seat this year.
Mr. Spano, an embattled freshman, lost narrowly to Commissioner Scott Franklin of Lakeland, who will be the front-runner to win the safely Republican district in November’s general election. The 15th Congressional District sprawls across the northeastern Tampa suburbs.Mr. Spano, an embattled freshman, lost narrowly to Commissioner Scott Franklin of Lakeland, who will be the front-runner to win the safely Republican district in November’s general election. The 15th Congressional District sprawls across the northeastern Tampa suburbs.
He is the eighth House incumbent to lose a 2020 primary so far. He is the eighth House incumbent — five Republicans and three Democrats — to lose a 2020 primary so far.
Mr. Spano had been dogged by investigations into campaign finance violations stemming from his 2018 campaign. In 2019, he acknowledged that he misreported more than $100,000 in contributions as personal funds. The money had actually come from friends and would have been subject to contribution limits. Mr. Spano called it an “inadvertent and unintentional” mistake, but he remains under investigation by the Justice Department.Mr. Spano had been dogged by investigations into campaign finance violations stemming from his 2018 campaign. In 2019, he acknowledged that he misreported more than $100,000 in contributions as personal funds. The money had actually come from friends and would have been subject to contribution limits. Mr. Spano called it an “inadvertent and unintentional” mistake, but he remains under investigation by the Justice Department.
Mr. Franklin had received the support of Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from the Florida Panhandle, who is a staunch ally of President Trump. He will face Alan Cohn, a former local television news reporter, who won the Democratic primary.Mr. Franklin had received the support of Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from the Florida Panhandle, who is a staunch ally of President Trump. He will face Alan Cohn, a former local television news reporter, who won the Democratic primary.
The most competitive race in the state this fall is expected to be further south in the 26th Congressional District, which stretches from the Miami suburbs to the Florida Keys. Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a freshman Democrat, will face Mayor Carlos Gimenez of Miami-Dade County, who easily won the Republican primary on Tuesday.The most competitive race in the state this fall is expected to be further south in the 26th Congressional District, which stretches from the Miami suburbs to the Florida Keys. Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a freshman Democrat, will face Mayor Carlos Gimenez of Miami-Dade County, who easily won the Republican primary on Tuesday.
The campaign to replace Mr. Gimenez as county mayor, the second-most powerful executive office in Florida, after governor, was hotly contested. The November runoff for the nonpartisan post will pit Commissioner Steve Bovo, a Republican, against Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat.The campaign to replace Mr. Gimenez as county mayor, the second-most powerful executive office in Florida, after governor, was hotly contested. The November runoff for the nonpartisan post will pit Commissioner Steve Bovo, a Republican, against Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat.
In other local races, former Sheriff Scott Israel of Broward County, who was removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis after the deadly Parkland school shooting in 2018, appeared to have failed to win his bid for re-election. Sheriff Gregory Tony, whom Mr. DeSantis had appointed as Mr. Israel’s successor, declared victory in the Democratic primary, winning his first election. During the primary, a local reporter revealed that Mr. Tony had shot and killed a man as a teenager in Philadelphia.In other local races, former Sheriff Scott Israel of Broward County, who was removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis after the deadly Parkland school shooting in 2018, appeared to have failed to win his bid for re-election. Sheriff Gregory Tony, whom Mr. DeSantis had appointed as Mr. Israel’s successor, declared victory in the Democratic primary, winning his first election. During the primary, a local reporter revealed that Mr. Tony had shot and killed a man as a teenager in Philadelphia.
And Sybrina Fulton, whose 17-year-old son, Trayvon Martin, was killed in Sanford, Fla., in 2012, setting off a national conversation on racial profiling, was narrowly losing a Miami-Dade County Commission seat to Mayor Oliver Gilbert of Miami Gardens.And Sybrina Fulton, whose 17-year-old son, Trayvon Martin, was killed in Sanford, Fla., in 2012, setting off a national conversation on racial profiling, was narrowly losing a Miami-Dade County Commission seat to Mayor Oliver Gilbert of Miami Gardens.