Florida State Senate elections, 2014

2016 → ← 2012

Florida State Senate elections, 2014

Majority control • Qualifications

List of candidates District 2 • District 4 • District 6 • District 8 • District 10 • District 12 • District 14 • District 16 • District 18 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 26 • District 28 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34 • District 36 • District 38 • District 40

State Legislative Election Results

Florida State Senate • 2014 Florida House Elections

State legislative elections in 2014

Elections for the Florida State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 26, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 20, 2014.

Republicans held a 12 seat lead in the Senate, which was 60 percent of the 20 seats up for election in 2014. This chamber was not expected to change control in 2014.

Following the general election, there was no change to the majority control of the Florida State Senate. Neither party lost any seats, maintaining the 26 to 14 margin the Republican Party had over the Democratic Party.

Majority control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held the majority in the Florida State Senate:

Florida State Senate
Party		As of November 3, 2014	After November 4, 2014
	Democratic Party	14	14
	Republican Party	26	26
Total		40	40

Qualifications

To run for the Florida State Senate, candidates must be 21 years old, have lived in Florida for two years and live in the district they intend to serve.

Competitiveness

Candidates unopposed by a major party

2014 Competitiveness Overview
Primary competition (state comparison)
Incumbents defeated • Victorious challengers • Primary competitiveness
Major party challengers (state comparison)
Candidates with no challenges at all in 2014
Open seats (state comparisons)
Impact of term limits on # of open seats Long-serving senators • Long-serving reps
Chart Comparing 2014 Results
Chart Comparing 2014 Results • Comparisons Between Years
Competitiveness Index • Absolute Index
2014 State Legislative Elections State legislative incumbent turnover in 2014
Competitiveness Studies from Other Years
2007 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013

In 15 of the 20 districts up for election in 2014, there was only one major party candidate running for election. A total of two Democrats and 13 Republicans were guaranteed election barring unforeseen circumstances.

Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in five of the 20 districts up for election. Just one of these seats, District 34, held mildly competitive elections in 2012.

• District 34: Incumbent Maria Sachs (D) defeated Ellyn Bogdanoff (R) in the general election. Sachs won in 2012 by a margin of victory of 6 percent.

Primary challenges

A total of seven incumbents faced primary competition on August 26. Another 13 incumbents advanced past the primary without opposition. The state senators that faced primary competition were:

• District 6: Incumbent John Thrasher (R) defeated Derek Hankerson in the Republican primary.
• District 12: Incumbent Geraldine F. Thompson (D) defeated Gary Siplin in the Democratic primary.
• District 16: Incumbent Thad Altman (R) defeated Monique Miller in the Republican primary.
• District 20: Incumbent Jack Latvala (R) defeated Zahid Roy in the Republican primary.
• District 30: Incumbent Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) defeated Michael Dreikorn in the Republican primary.
• District 32: Incumbent Joe Negron (R) defeated Brandon Michael Cannon in the Republican primary.
• District 36: Incumbent Oscar Braynon (D) defeated Anis "Auguste" Blemur in the Democratic primary.

Retiring incumbents

No incumbent senators retired in 2014.

List of candidates

District 2

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Greg Evers a - Incumbent Evers was first elected to the chamber in 2010.

November 4 General election candidates:

Greg Evers

District 4

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

Candidate ballot access
Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Aaron Bean a - Incumbent Bean was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

November 4 General election candidates:

Aaron Bean

District 6

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Kathleen Trued a

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• John Thrasher: 23,899 a - Incumbent Thrasher was first elected to the chamber in 2009.
• Derek Hankerson: 10,126

Independent candidates:

• Greg Feldman

November 4 General election candidates:

Kathleen Trued: 66,786

John Thrasher: 105,901

Greg Feldman: 9,388

District 8

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Dorothy L. Hukill a - Incumbent Hukill was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

Note: Richard Dembinsky (I) withdrew from the ballot on June 25, 2014.

November 4 General election candidates:

Dorothy L. Hukill

District 10

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• David Simmons a - Incumbent Simmons was first elected to the chamber in 2010.

Independent candidates:

• Walter Osborne

November 4 General election candidates:

David Simmons: 101,241

Walter Osborne: 44,959

District 12

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Gary Siplin: 8,607
• Geraldine F. Thompson: 15,371 a - Incumbent Thompson was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Edward DeAguilera: 5,753 a
• Fritz Jackson Seide: 4,779

November 4 General election candidates:

Geraldine F. Thompson: 67,084

Edward DeAguilera: 39,456

District 14

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Darren Soto a - Incumbent Soto was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

Independent candidates:

• Devin Norton

November 4 General election candidates:

Darren Soto: 71,029

Devin Norton: 23,625

District 16

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Thad Altman: 25,581 a - Incumbent Altmam was first elected to the chamber in 2008.
• Monique Miller: 13,657

November 4 General election candidates:

Thad Altman

Note: Lloyd Stanton French (I) withdrew in early September.

District 18

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Wilton Simpson a - Incumbent Simpson was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

November 4 General election candidates:

Wilton Simpson

District 20

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Jack Latvala: 31,836 a - Incumbent Latvala was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
• Zahid Roy: 4,672

August 26 Libertarian Party of Florida primary candidates:

• Tony Caso

November 4 General election candidates:

Jack Latvala: 120,277

Tony Caso: 47,652

District 22

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Judithanne McLauchlan a

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Jeff Brandes a - Incumbent Brandes was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

November 4 General election candidates:

Judithanne McLauchlan: 74,804

Jeff Brandes: 101,983

District 24

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Tom Lee a - Incumbent Lee was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

Independent candidates:

• Brandon R. Thebeau
• Steven P. Warren

November 4 General election candidates:

Tom Lee: 104,925

Brandon R. Thebeau (write-in): 379

Steven P. Warren (write-in): 106

District 26

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Bill Galvano a - Incumbent Galvano was first elected to the chamber in 2012.

November 4 General election candidates:

Bill Galvano

District 28

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Nancy Detert a - Incumbent Detert was first elected to the chamber in 2008.

November 4 General election candidates:

Nancy Detert

District 30

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Lizbeth Benacquisto: 40,852 a - Incumbent Benacquisto was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
• Michael Dreikorn: 27,772

November 4 General election candidates:

Lizbeth Benacquisto

District 32

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Bruno Moore a

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Brandon Michael Cannon: 5,417
• Joe Negron: 31,350 a - Incumbent Negron was first elected to the chamber in 2009.

Independent candidates:

• Matthew Joshua Loew

November 4 General election candidates:

Bruno Moore: 58,388

Joe Negron: 117,320

Matthew Joshua Loew (write-in): 41

District 34

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Maria Sachs a - Incumbent Sachs was first elected to the chamber in 2010.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Ellyn Bogdanoff a

Note: Joseph "JB" Bensmihen withdrew on June 26.

November 4 General election candidates:

Maria Sachs: 87,340

Ellyn Bogdanoff: 80,353

District 36

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• Anis "Auguste" Blemur: 9,196
• Oscar Braynon: 21,413 a - Incumbent Braynon was first elected to the chamber in a 2011 special election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

Independent candidates:

• William Burton Moreland

November 4 General election candidates:

Oscar Braynon: 96,445

William Burton Moreland (write-in): 47

District 38

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• René Garcia a - Incumbent Garcia was first elected to the chamber in 2010.

November 4 General election candidates:

René Garcia

District 40

August 26 Democratic primary candidates:

• No candidates filed for election.

August 26 Republican primary candidates:

• Miguel Diaz de la Portilla a - Incumbent Diaz de la Portilla was first elected to the chamber in 2010.

November 4 General election candidates:

Miguel Diaz de la Portilla

See also

• Florida State Senate
• Florida State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2014

Suggest a link

External links

• Florida Division of Elections - Candidate Listing for 2014 General Election
• Florida Division of Elections - Official primary election results
• Florida Division of Elections - Official general election results

Footnotes

[show]

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

LaVon Bracy Davis (D)

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

Kristen Arrington (D)

District 26

Lori Berman (D)

District 27

Ben Albritton (R)

District 28

Kathleen Passidomo (R)

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)