ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday in St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia counties in the Republican primary for the Florida state Senate seat vacated by John Thrasher, as well as two state House seats that opened up when those representatives entered the Senate race.
Thrasher was reelected to Senate District 6 in November, but resigned weeks later when he was hired as president of Florida State University.
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House District 17 Rep. Ronald "Doc" Renuart, R-Ponte Vedra Beach, and District 24 Rep. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton, resigned their seats to run for the Senate, which opened up those districts for special election.
House District 17 is in St. Johns County. District 24 includes Flagler County and parts of St. Johns and Volusia counties. Senate District 6 cover those three counties, plus western Putnam County
Gov. Rick Scott ordered Jan. 27 special primaries for all three seats.
In addition to Hutson, of Elkton, and Renuart, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Dennis McDonald, of Flagler Beach, fills out the Republican primary in the Senate race. The winner of the primary will run against Democrat David Cox, of Daytona Beach, in the April 7 General Election.
Three Republicans are in the District 17 House race: John "Jack" Capra, of St. Johns, Michael Davis, of St. Augustine, and Cyndi Stevenson, of St. Johns. The winner of the primary will face independent Judy Stevens, of Ponte Vedra Beach, and a write-in candidate in April.
Three Republicans are also in District 24: Danielle Anderson, of Palm Coast, Paul Renner, of Palm Coast, and Ron Sanchez, of South St. Augustine. The winner will face Democrat Adam Morley, of St. Augustine in the General Election.
More than 12,000 have already cast ballots in the primary, either over eight days of early voting or on mail-in ballots.
Who is winning the fundraising race?
In the Senate race, Hutson spent more than twice as much as Renuart as they head into Election Day in the Senate race, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Hutson had spent $453,012 as of Thursday, while Renuart had spent $173,858. From Jan. 1 to Thursday, Hutson spent $164,552, with $142,425 of that going to Maryland-based Mentzer Media Services for advertising, according to the reports filed Friday. Renuart spent $105,304 during the period.
In all, Hutson, had raised $347,255 and loaned his campaign $150,000. That included raising $110,430 from Jan. 1 to Thursday. Renuart raised $45,650 during the three-week period, giving him an overall total of $139,655. He also had loaned his campaign $50,000. McDonald did not raise any money through Dec. 31, and his updated finance report had not been posted on the Division of Elections website Monday morning.
Meanwhile, in neighboring House District 17, Davis collected $51,030 from Jan. 1 to Thursday, giving him an overall total of $134,410, the records show. Davis, who also had loaned $22,100 to his campaign, had spent a total of $134,699 as of Thursday. Another GOP candidate in the race, St. Johns County Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson, raised $10,710 during the three-week period, giving her an overall total of $90,347. Stevenson, who also had loaned $25,000 to her campaign, had spent a total of $104,625 as of Thursday. A third Republican candidate, attorney Jack Capra, raised $4,450 from Jan. 1 to Thursday, bringing his overall total to $28,600. Capra, who also had loaned $12,000 to his campaign, had spent a total of $35,932 as of Thursday.
Renner and Davis topped the other candidates in raising campaign cash, according to newly filed reports. Renner collected $68,755 from Jan. 1 to Thursday, giving him an overall total of $207,130. He also had spent $189,783 as of Thursday.
Danielle Anderson, raised $400 from Jan. 1 to Thursday, bringing her total to $900.
Sanchez, raised $1,950 through December, but his updated finance information had not been posted on the state Division of Elections website Monday morning.