Rep. Wengay “Newt” Newton retains Florida House seat

State Rep. Wengay “Newt” Newton, D-St. Petersburg, whose House District 70 seat also includes parts of Manatee and Sarasota counties, will hold on to his position with his win in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Newton beat two challengers, receiving 10,534 votes, or just under 49.8 percent of the 21,167 votes cast..

“I’m glad the election season is over,” Newton said when reached by the phone Tuesday night with cheers in the background. “To God be the glory. It’s a pleasure to serve and get back to the business of taking care of the people in District 70 and to continue to advocate for the people.”

Challenger Keisha Bell garnered 35.46 percent, or 7,506 votes, and Vito Sheeley, who tallied 14.77 percent, or 3,127 votes.

Bell held her own in Manatee County with a neck and neck race, falling short by about 28 votes, but ultimately lost the election in St. Petersburg, from where she and Newton hail. Newton won with more than 53 percent of the vote in Pinellas County.

Newton ran on increasing affordable housing within the district, creating economic opportunities and doing more to battle the opioid crisis. Newton, a former St. Petersburg City Councilman, was elected to the Florida house in 2016, defeating Republican Cori Fournier within a relatively strong Democratic foothold with 76 percent of the vote.

No Republican ran in District 70 this year.

There was far less drama in the two other House districts that cover Manatee County.

In District 73, which also includes part of Sarasota County, Sarasota attorney Tommy Gregory won the GOP nomination. A second Republican, Melissa Howard of Lakewood Ranch, withdrew from the race earlier this month after she admitted lying about having a college diploma from Miami University in Ohio

Her withdrawal left Gregory the winner and he will face Democrat Liv Coleman in the Nov. 6 General Election.

The District 73 incumbent, Rep. Joe Gruters, is running for a Florida Senate seat in Sarasota County in November.

In District 71, which encompasses a large swath of west Bradenton and Manatee County, Democrat Tracy Pratt will face Republican Will Robinson in November. Both were unopposed in their respective primaries.

This story was originally published August 28, 2018 at 8:15 PM with the headline "Rep. Wengay “Newt” Newton retains Florida House seat."