Times Editorial Board recommendations for Florida House races (part 2)

The 120 members of the Florida House of Representatives meet annually for a two-month legislative session and at other times periodically throughout the year. State representatives are elected to two-year terms and paid $29,697 annually. Here is the second set of our House recommendations. Click here to read part 1 of the state House recommendations.District 63: Dianne “Miss Dee” Hart The incumbent, Dianne “Miss Dee” Hart, strongly advocated for this racially diverse Tampa community long before winning election to the state House. Her experience, energy and right-minded agenda make her the clear choice.Hart, a 69-year-old Democrat, was first elected to the House in 2018. As CEO of the East Tampa Business and Community Development Alliance, Hart has worked to promote housing, job development and social services throughout this largely Black community.Hart’s experience in helping struggling families and her strong ties to local political and business leaders make her an effective advocate locally and in Tallahassee. She wants Florida to do more to induce property insurers to reduce rates, and she would expand Medicaid to improve health care for communities while making Florida more affordable. Hart also vows to continue working on criminal justice reform, hoping to reduce court system bias while giving ex-offenders more opportunities to successfully reenter society.Republican Tim Driver is a 54-year-old life coach and first-time candidate for office. He wants to close the achievement gap in Florida’s education system and expand vocational training. Driver espouses traditional conservative themes, including competition and free markets. He also pledges to address criminal justice reform by tackling “systemic biases and over-incarceration.”Hart, though, has a more detailed agenda to help Florida’s working and middle classes and a track record of promoting her constituents’ interests in Tallahassee. She knows the district’s neighborhoods, which include East Tampa, Sulphur Springs, and Temple Terrace, and she is accessible to residents.The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Dianne “Miss Dee” Hart for state representative in District 63.District 64: Susan L. Valdes This race is a rematch from 2022. Democrat Susan L. Valdes was the best choice then and remains the best today.Valdes, 59, is a former Hillsborough County School Board member who was first elected to the state House in 2018. She has made her mark by championing middle-class priorities and ensuring that the district’s heavily Hispanic population remains on Florida’s public radar.As a school board member and state representative, Valdes has strongly advocated for workforce training, educational equity and programs for special needs students. She has hosted health fairs, pushed job development efforts and worked to foster stronger corporate support for area schools. Valdes rightly sees these priorities as critical to giving working-class families better opportunities. She has brought welcome attention to youth prevention programs and sought to give working immigrant families in Florida the support services they need to assimilate. Her support for civil rights and personal freedoms is also in sync with the district, which includes Town ‘N Country, West Tampa and Egypt Lake. Valdes is also visible throughout the community and treats her constituents with respect.Republican Maura Cruz Lanz, 69, is a retired officer of a family construction business. She’s running another campaign that’s short of constructive ideas for addressing Floridians’ real-life problems. Lanz’s website states that “the U.S. government has become very tyrannical.” Voters should expect more from a repeat candidate whose sparse agenda didn’t excite last time.Valdes is a committed, serious legislator who speaks on behalf of the little guy. Tallahassee needs more of that perspective. The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Susan L. Valdes for state representative in District 64.District 65: Ashley Brundage Residents in this district, which extends from South Tampa to Westchase, need a serious, engaged representative in Tallahassee who puts their priorities first. Voters would have that in Ashley Brundage, a first-time candidate and business owner.Brundage, a 44-year old Democrat, is the chief executive of a Tampa-based consultancy that provides leadership training. She wants to bring greater urgency to controlling property insurance premiums, both by increasing competition and curbing the legal claims that drive up costs. Brundage also vows to use her experience to be a strong advocate for small businesses and entrepreneurs, including exploring new incentives by the state to purchase goods and services from smaller employers.Brundage supports Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize adult-use recreational marijuana. She says Florida could regulate and tax the product and use that revenue to offset property insurance premiums for consumers. She wants to make the tax system fairer and bring more accountability to the democratic process. Brundage also wants legislators to work more regularly across partisan lines to find sensible compromises to policy disputes. This is a pitch-perfect agenda from a grown-up candidate whose communication skills would be a strength with her colleagues and constituents alike.Republican incumbent Karen Gonzalez Pittman was first elected to the seat in 2022 after a fairly ugly campaign. Gonzalez Pittman, 62, hasn’t offered a detailed agenda for a second term or left much of a mark in Tallahassee. She did not respond to multiple requests to participate in the Tampa Bay Times voter guide.Brundage is passionate about serving and has thoughtful ideas for improving Floridians’ everyday life. She also seems to have a much fuller appreciation of the accountability that comes with elected office. The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Ashley Brundage for state representative in District 65.District 66: Traci Koster Voters have two good choices in the race for District 66, which includes the Hillsborough County communities of Keystone, Lutz and Citrus Park. Both candidates are sensible with rich life experiences that would offer valuable perspectives to the Legislature. But we give the edge to Traci Koster, the Republican incumbent, for her expertise in child welfare policy and her attention to local concerns.Koster, 39, is a Tampa area attorney first elected to the state House in 2020. She is a reliably conservative vote on taxes and spending, and if elected to another term, wants the Legislature to go further in making the players in Florida’s property insurance market more transparent and accountable.Koster’s experience as a family law attorney brings a much-welcome lens to the task of improving Florida’s foster care system. Those reforms need to balance better child protection measures with greater timeliness in resolving court cases. Koster understands the goal should be providing children with better outcomes and families with a stronger start as they rebuild their lives. Her passion for the cause could put foster care on the front burner and promote healthier communities across the state.Democrat Nick Clemente, 47, is a former police officer and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel making his first run for elected office. Clemente wants to address affordability issues by providing incentives to increase the housing supply and adopting protections for renters and limits on corporate home ownership. Clemente is a smart, fresh voice with sound priorities and a sensible approach to governing. He has a demonstrated commitment to public service and likely would prove a leader for Tampa Bay in Tallahassee.Koster, though, could fill a void on children’s issues in the coming term. She also puts local concerns on the state’s radar. For instance, she was behind the legislation to put speed cameras in school zones, a key response to Tampa Bay’s infamy as one of the nation’s most deadly places for pedestrians.The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Traci Koster for state representative in District 66.District 67: Fentrice Driskell The incumbent, Fentrice Driskell, has pushed bread-and-butter concerns since first winning the Florida House election in 2018. As leader of the Florida House Democrats, Driskell has also pushed back against Republican excesses in Tallahassee, putting everyday Floridians’ interests above partisan politics.Driskell, 45, is a Harvard University graduate who earned her law degree in 2004 from Georgetown University. Driskell champions a broad, sensible agenda, focusing on improving schools, access to housing and environmental protection. Driskell’s support for investments in renewable energy would help make Florida more affordable. She also understands how key institutions in the area, such as the University of South Florida, contribute to Tampa Bay’s economy and quality of life.Driskell opposes Florida’s six-week abortion ban, calling the issue a deeply personal decision “that should be between a patient and their doctor.” Her support for individual liberties, fair play and equal opportunity makes her a voice of conscience in the Legislature. Driskell also supports reforming backward policies in the criminal justice system that make it tough for ex-offenders to reenter society successfully.Ronrico “Rico” Smith, a 28-year-old health care consultant, emerged from the Republican primary in August to face Driskell in the Nov. 5 general election. He pledges to address inflation and housing, and advance what he calls “parental rights” and “unbiased learning,” both buzzwords for conservatives who want to foster turmoil in the public schools. In an interview with the Times, Smith dodged questions about abortion and offered strange ideas for tackling property insurance and mass transportation.Driskell does her homework and knows what she’s doing. Her balanced, relevant agenda is a good fit for the district, which includes New Tampa and the University of South Florida area. She is a powerful voice for her constituents.The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Fentrice Driskell for state representative in District 67.District 68: Lawrence McClure The Republican incumbent, Lawrence McClure, isn’t the sort of publicity-seeking culture warrior inflaming partisanship in Tallahassee. Instead, McClure’s common-sense manner and straightforward approach make him a consensus builder who can get the public’s business done.McClure, 37, is a business owner from Dover who was first elected to the state House in 2017. He brings a strong agricultural background to this rich farming district, which includes Plant City and the Dover area, and strong personal and civic relationships that keep him plugged into his constituency.McClure said he wants to continue working to improve Florida’s business climate and further address homeowners insurance to make coverage more affordable. He also wants to take additional steps to make “responsible” reforms to the state’s regulatory climate.Democrat Lisa Carpus, 62, is a retired postal worker and postal union officer. She would focus on improving workers’ rights and protections and pledges to bring greater transparency to the workings of state government. Carpus depicts McClure as the product of a “rigged” political system that favors special interests. No-party candidate Tyrell Hicks, 39, is also in the race.We don’t always agree with McClure’s stance on many issues. But he brings valuable qualities to the Legislature, from reaching across the aisle to working behind the scenes to resolve complex policy disputes. McClure has built a strong following among his colleagues for sticking to his word and treating the legislation process with the thoughtfulness required. The reputation he’s built has put him in a position to help the entire Tampa Bay region in the coming two-year term.The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Lawrence McClure for state representative in District 68.District 69: Daniel “Danny” Alvarez This contest is a race in name only, as the incumbent, Republican state Rep. Daniel “Danny” Alvarez, is the only one running a serious campaign.Alvarez is a 50-year-old attorney and former U.S. Army officer first elected to the state House in 2022. On policy matters, Alvarez is firmly nestled in the Republican majority; he supported Florida’s six-week abortion ban and touts his advocacy on behalf of first responders and the military.Voters, unfortunately, don’t have much of a choice because Democrat Bobby Kachelries is not running much of a race. Kachelries, 27, is a Democratic activist who vows to focus on worker’s rights and making Florida more affordable. But Kachelries doesn’t offer many specifics on his agenda and he’s running a shoestring campaign.Alvarez has a long history of political and civic involvement in Hillsborough. His support for veterans’ issues and the agriculture industry matches the interests of the district, which includes the southeast Hillsborough County communities of Riverview, Boyette and Lithia.The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Daniel “Danny” Alvarez for state representative in District 69.District 70: Michael Owen This race pits two relative unknowns seeking to replace Rep. Mike Beltran, the Republican incumbent who announced earlier this year he wouldn’t seek reelection to the House. We disagree with Republican Michael Owen on some major issues, but he has room to grow and seems a better fit for this two-county district which straddles the Hillsborough-Manatee border.Owen is a former Hillsborough County commissioner elected in 2022 who left that post earlier this year to seek Beltran’s seat. The 48-year-old attorney vows to focus on improving the area’s transportation system and addressing homeowner’s insurance, though he is short on the details. Owen would be a strong voice for small businesses and agriculture, two major sectors in the district, which includes Apollo Beach and Sun City Center in southern Hillsborough and Parrish in northern Manatee.Owen supports Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board opposes. That’s also one defining difference between Owen and his opponent, Democrat Luther Keith Wilkins, a 58-year-old machine operator from Manatee County. Wilkins said he believes abortion is a personal decision. If elected, he would focus on expanding housing, health care and public transportation.Owen, though, vows to address many of the same issues, from tax relief to lowering property insurance rates. He also seems better attuned to growth-related concerns, a big challenge in this fast-growing district, and strategies for attracting high-wage jobs. Both candidates require a leap of faith. But Owen’s elected experience, while limited, would give him an edge in Tallahassee. He knows the important role local government plays and the demands of constituent service.The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Michael Owen for state representative in District 70.Before making a recommendation, the Times Editorial Board asks candidates to fill out questionnaires and sit for an interview. The process can also include running criminal and civil background checks, interviewing candidates’ colleagues and employers, reviewing voting records and financial disclosures and examining their past and current positions on relevant issues.

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