Melissa Martin
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Melissa Martin (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Florida State Senate to represent District 14. Martin lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Martin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2018
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Florida State Senate District 14
Tom Wright defeated Melissa Martin in the general election for Florida State Senate District 14 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tom Wright (R) | 56.3 | 124,055 |
 | Melissa Martin (D)  | 43.7 | 96,161 | |
| Total votes: 220,216 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Dorothy Hukill (R)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Florida State Senate District 14
Melissa Martin advanced from the Democratic primary for Florida State Senate District 14 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Martin |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Florida State Senate District 14
Incumbent Dorothy Hukill advanced from the Republican primary for Florida State Senate District 14 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Dorothy Hukill |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Melissa Martin participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on August 27, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Melissa Martin's responses follow below.[1]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1. GOOD Government - restoring public trust in government with campaign finance reform, voting access reform, better systems of transparency, investigation and accountability, and higher standards of ethical conduct; 2. A HEALTHY Environment - ensuring compliance with necessary standards to restore and protect Florida's natural resources, using the allocated funds voters specifically told the FL legislature to use to accomplish this objective; 3. GREEN Communities - providing home rule authority and matched funds to help local governments with resilient infrastructure and interconnected, safe and healthy communities (education --> workforce --> industries).[2][3] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | I'm passionate about restoring a functional, representative government that works for all our interests; to include education, healthcare, and a thriving, safe and sustainable economy. I'm also quite angry with how Florida's "leadership" in recent history has harmed or invited unacceptable risk to our natural resources, destroying many of our fragile, biologically diverse ecosystems. We need more advocates in Tallahassee who care and respect the voices of the People and scientific experts.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[3]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Melissa Martin answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | I look up to people who live selflessly but act boldly in their integrity and service to others, even at the risk of their own lives. There are many "greats" throughout our history, perhaps too numerous to list here, but the nonviolent civil disobedience greats are at the top.[3] | ” |
| “ | My political philosophy stems from and rests with the US Constitution. I believe the (six) objectives of our lawmaking, enforcement and judicial endeavors were outlined in the Preamble, and laws that fall outside this premise do not hold constitutional authority. I believe that we should strive toward that "perfect union" -- carefully balancing collective rights with the rights and liberties of the individual. We should live as freely as we can without causing harm to others; but if and when we do, the government has the role and responsibility to make things right.[3] | ” |
| “ | Elected officials must have integrity; no matter where they are or whom they're with, they must say and do things in the interests of those they serve. The Oath of Office and US and FL Constitutions should be their guideposts. They should conduct themselves civilly, focused on uniting core values (including across the aisle) toward necessary change. They should be servant-leaders, listening first and acting deliberately with full transparency and decorum. See also Marine Corps Leadership Traits as the backdrop of what I believe a public official should be; in a word, a statesman.[3] | ” |
| “ | Integrity, authenticity, initiative, servant-leadership (experience), insight, compassion, competence, balanced perspective, professional maturity, honor, courage, commitment.[3] | ” |
| “ | A Florida Senator must necessarily have a strategic view to the needs and interests of future generations. In the bicameral makeup, the Senate's role is to "measure twice and cut once"; to consider all foreseeable consequences and make necessary (ideally small) adjustments to overall systems. I believe the House of Representatives should be the body of creative ideas and solutions, while both houses being connected and open to the voices of their constituents and the interests of all Floridians in their words, votes and actions.[3] | ” |
| “ | I want the younger generation to see that you don't have to be rich or politically connected to be able to serve -- and serve effectively. I want people to realize that we should be expecting good leadership, not career politics, as the basic standard of governance. I'd like to establish the trend of frequent town halls and listening events throughout the State so the People again EXPECT this of their elected officials, instead of the silent disconnects outside campaign season. I want people to have trust and confidence in their own government again.[3] | ” |
| “ | I was in 5th grade (in Central Florida) when our class went outside and saw the Challenger explode. I remember feeling shocked, confused, and very sad.[3] | ” |
| “ | My first paid job was being a math tutor when I was in high school. Later, in my junior and senior years, I worked at the local Hallmark Cards store.[3] | ” |
| “ | My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving for its focus on unconditional love, family and gratefulness; it's like Christmas, without the commercialism. :)[3] | ” |
| “ | I think I can identify best with Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Trek's "Voyager." With the military discipline context, ethical dilemmas and mission challenges, I miss working with my own "crew" as a Marine officer; watching them grow and become a family, living up to high expectations and exploring their own potential -- It's a thing of true beauty.[3] | ” |
| “ | Depends on the season. When it isn't hellish outside, so maybe a couple months out of the year, I love having my morning coffee in the front porch on my big red rocking chair. For the rest of the year, I love my little sitting area with a bookshelf full of old leadership and law books, topped with a globe, some of my favorite rocks and shells, and an old map on the wall. I love maps.[3] | ” |
| “ | On the Turning Away (Pink Floyd)[3] | ” |
| “ | Learning to use my voice. I had a solid fear of public speaking when I was younger; to the point of freezing up when giving my 4th grade oral report on Warren G. Harding (STILL don't like that guy). Despite being an introvert and preferring to be alone on the beach or painting a picture, I somehow pushed through all of that to learn servant-leadership at the US Naval Academy, how to accomplish the mission in the US Marine Corps, how to make compelling arguments as a Florida-barred attorney, and now giving impromptu speeches everywhere I go as a candidate for office. Good times![3] | ” |
| “ | It's a beneficial, distinguishing trait assuming all else (ex, loyalty to the people's interests over party agendas) would be equal.[3] | ” |
| “ | Funding the necessary infrastructure to restore health and the necessary protections to our enviro-economy. The long-term neglect (ignoring scientists for decades) has created a hefty price tag for what must happen if we're to save our state from catastrophe. We must invest in research and development to generate the necessary engines that will sustain Florida's economic and public systems, especially with (aero)space, health, and green technological innovations. This strategic focus will not only help mitigate the impact damages of climate change and human development, it will help create spin-off businesses, competition, jobs, and --with the right connections with our educational systems -- a locally-sourced, skilled and ready workforce.[3] | ” |
| “ | The ideal relationship should include a shared vision, cooperative interaction, and a healthy sprinkle of checks & balances. The Legislature should keep its ear to the ground via the constituency to ensure the Governor's administration (all the departments, agencies, etc.) are doing what they're supposed to do. That said, the Legislature should appoint a separate, independent commission to handle certain issues that "could" be tainted by politics such as redistricting; investigating allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse (outside the scope of the Ethics Commission); and other measures designed to meet or exceed the public's expectations of government.[3] | ” |
| “ | Absolutely! There must be a presumption that all legislators want to do what is right for their constituents; and with that presumption, comes civil discussion on how best to achieve such shared objectives. Healthy legislative relationships directly enable these important discussions to occur throughout the process of lawmaking.[3] | ” |
| “ | An objectively fair, Independent Commission should be charged with redistricting.[3] | ” |
| “ | Yes; especially those dealing with integrity of process in our public systems and Florida's environmental issues.[3] | ” |
| “ | Nope.[3] | ” |
| “ | I think the culmination of stories is a story in and of itself; everyone is saying the same thing, it seems: Their basic needs are not being met. That is unacceptable and should compel anyone and everyone who hears this message straight into action. Our entire system is out of balance, and our government no longer works for the People. That HAS TO BE FIXED, immediately.[3] | ” |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Melissa Martin's responses," August 27, 2018
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
Current members of the Florida State Senate
Leadership
Senate President:Ben Albritton
Majority Leader:Jim Boyd
Senators
District 1
Don Gaetz (R)
District 2
Jay Trumbull (R)
District 3
Corey Simon (R)
District 4
Clay Yarborough (R)
District 5
Tracie Davis (D)
District 6
Jennifer Bradley (R)
District 7
Tom Leek (R)
District 8
Tom Wright (R)
District 9
Stan McClain (R)
District 10
Jason Brodeur (R)
District 11
Vacant
District 12
Colleen Burton (R)
District 13
Keith Truenow (R)
District 14
Vacant
District 15
District 16
Darryl Rouson (D)
District 17
Carlos Smith (D)
District 18
Nick DiCeglie (R)
District 19
Debbie Mayfield (R)
District 20
Jim Boyd (R)
District 21
Ed Hooper (R)
District 22
Joe Gruters (R)
District 23
Daniel Burgess (R)
District 24
Mack Bernard (D)
District 25
District 26
Lori Berman (D)
District 27
Ben Albritton (R)
District 28
District 29
Erin Grall (R)
District 30
Tina Polsky (D)
District 31
Gayle Harrell (R)
District 32
Rosalind Osgood (D)
District 33
Jonathan Martin (R)
District 34
Shevrin Jones (D)
District 35
Barbara Sharief (D)
District 36
Ileana Garcia (R)
District 37
Jason Pizzo (N)
District 38
Alexis Calatayud (R)
District 39
Bryan Avila (R)
District 40
Ana Rodriguez (R)
Republican Party (26)
Democratic Party (11)
No Party Affiliation (1)
Vacancies (2)
