State Sen. Randolph Bracy Enters Race for Rep. Demings’ Seat as Frontrunner
State Senator Randolph Bracy. Photo via Florida Phoenix.
TALLAHASSEE (FNN) — State Sen. Randolph Bracy announced Tuesday that he will run for Rep. Val Demings‘ congressional seat, as first reported by Politico. The Orlando Democrat has spent his political career pushing to revamp Florida’s criminal justice laws.
Bracy has served five years in the Florida Senate and served four years in the Florida House, representing western Orange County. He made history as the first black chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.
“I’m running for Congress,” Bracy told Florida Politics Tuesday. “I’ve served this community now for almost 10 years. I love this community.
“And I believe I can serve this community well in Congress. Many of the issues that I’ve been fighting on, justice and equity, the real debate is going on in Washington right now,” Bracy said. “I’ve sponsored and passed a police reform bill. They’re debating one right now and can’t come to an agreement. This is just an example.”
Florida Politics reports that two Republicans have also entered the race: Carter Morgan of Orlando, and Willie Montague, a youth support non-profit organization leader who ran last year, but lost during the Republican primary.
Bracy’s decision is yet another falling domino caused by Demings’ decision to challenge U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio next year. Orlando civil rights attorney Natalie Jackson also joined the race Tuesday and former prosecutor Aramis Ayala entered the race Wednesday.