With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Lawson had 48
percent to Brown’s 39 percent. A third Democratic candidate, LaShonda Holloway,
had 13 percent.
Lawson won despite being vastly outspent by Brown. According
to the Tallahassee Democrat, Brown’s “Aug. 10 campaign finance report showed
$483,949 in total receipts, including $50,000 of her own money. Lawson raised
$255,678 for his campaign, including $101,000 of his own.”
Brown has represented CD5, which formerly ran north-south from Duval County to Orange County, since 1992. But the new CD5 map approved by the Florida Supreme Court in 2015 runs from Duval to Gadsden Counties. CD5 remains a minority-access seat with about 45 percent black voters.
The incumbent Congresswoman launched an unsuccessful court
battle to get the new CD5 map thrown out. After that loss, she finally began
running for reelection but was soon plagued by a federal indictment alleging
fraud.
Lawson, who spent 28 years in the Florida Legislature as a
representative and then senator, will now move on to the general election
against Republican nominee Gloreatha “Glo” Scurry-Smith. He will be heavily
favored to win in the overwhelmingly Democratic CD5.
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| Source: First Coast News |