Republican candidates head to special primary in Florida
January 13, 2014
Tampa Bay, Florida: Three Republican candidates-- Mark Bircher, David Jolly and Kathleen Peters-- will face off for the nomination in the Republican special primary election tomorrow.[1] The special election will be held to fill the vacancy left by the death of Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R). Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.[2] Florida is split between Eastern and Central time zones.
On October 9, 2013, Young announced that he would retire at the end of his term in 2014.[3] He cited several factors as to why he chose not to run for re-election, including his health and his desire to spend more time with his family.[3] On October 17, 2013, Young's family released a statement announcing that he was "gravely ill."[4] "U.S. Rep. C. W. Bill Young's condition turned for the worse over night and he is gravely ill," the family said. "His doctors say his prognosis is guarded."[4] Young died on October 18, 2013, following complications resulting from a chronic injury.[5] At the time of his death, Young was the longest serving House Republican.[6][7]
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Florida utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[8][9]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Under Florida law, Governor Rick Scott (R) had no authority to appoint a replacement, but called a special election to fill Young's seat.[10][11]
C.W. Bill Young's widow, Beverly Young, endorsed David Jolly at his campaign kickoff event on November 7, 2013, and announced that her late husband asked Jolly to run for his seat.[12]
Mark Bircher received an endorsement from former Rep. Allen West. Kathleen Peters was endorsed by one of Young’s sons, Bill Young II.[13].[13][14]
The winner of the Republican special primary election will face Alex Sink (D), Lucas Overby (L) and write-in candidate Michael Levinson in the special general election on March 11, 2014.[1]
The special election is expected to cost just over $1 million-- $458,668 for the Republican primary and $604,021 for the general election.[1] The cost would have been higher had a Democratic primary been necessary.[1]
See also
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- Florida's 13th congressional district special election, 2014
- Florida's 13th congressional district
- Florida elections, 2014
- United States House of Representatives
- Special elections to the 113th United States Congress (2013-2014)
- Florida's 13th congressional district elections, 2014
- State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2014)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Tampa Bay Weekly, "Three candidates running in Republican primary," accessed January 12, 2014
- ↑ Florida Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions - Voting - What Times," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tampa Bay Times, "U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young to retire, won't seek re-election in 2014," accessed October 9, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Washington Post, "Rep. Bill Young is ‘gravely ill’," accessed October 17, 2013
- ↑ CNN.com, "Rep. Bill Young, longest-serving GOP member in House, dies at age 82," accessed October 18, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Bill Young, longest-serving House Republican, dies," accessed October 18, 2013
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young's death leaves political void," accessed October 21, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Closed Primary Election," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Reuters.com, "Rep. Bill Young, longest serving Republican in U.S. Congress, dead at 82," accessed October 24, 2013
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "With Rep. C.W. Bill Young's death, Pinellas a bellwether for 2014," accessed October 24, 2013
- ↑ The Hill, "Bill Young's widow says Young asked Jolly to run," accessed November 11, 2013
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Human Events, "Florida-13 special GOP primary tight; Jolly holds slight lead in 3-way race to replace Young," accessed January 12, 2014
- ↑ Saint Peters Blog, "Final poll of GOP primary in CD 13 shows David Jolly well ahead; Kathleen Peters slips to third," accessed January 12, 2014
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