Republicans keep control of two Florida House seats

Manatee County will have new representation in the Florida House of Representatives, but both seats will remain in Republican control as they have for 22 years.

Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, won the District 71 seat with 39,937 votes, or nearly 56 percent of the 71,770 votes cast. Tommy Gregory, R-Sarasota, won the District 73 seat with 63,774 votes, or nearly 62 percent of the 102,993 votes cast.

The District 71 seat has been held by Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, since 2010 but he could not run for re-election because of term limits. The District 73 seat went up grabs when Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, decided to make a run for a seat on the Florida Senate.

Robinson, who was celebrating with family and friends in Northwest Bradenton, said he was looking forward to representing District 71 and doing his part to “keep Florida moving forward.”

“Tonight was a true testament to the Democratic process I believe we are near record turnout,” Robinson said.

As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, Robinson had not spoken with opponent Tracy Pratt, he said but added, “It was a tough race. I thought it was a great debate with Tracy.”

Gregory said he was humbled to have won, especially considering it had been his first time running for office.

“I am anxious to get to work,” Gregory said.

But Gregory was not just grateful to the supporters that helped him get there, but to supporters on both sides of the aisle that made the democratic process possible.

“That is what ensures democracy continues to flourish. It takes supporters to knock on doors and set up polls,” Gregory said. “I was impressed today at the precincts as I went around Manatee County and Sarasota County, at the good civil discourse among supporters from both sides.”

One house seat, representing portions of Manatee and Sarasota, still remains under Democrat control, District 70. Rep. Wengay “Newt” Newton, D-St. Petersburg, was unopposed in the general election after beating both his Democratic challengers in the primary with 11,347 votes, or 49.3 percent of the votes cast.

Pratt, like his opponent, is a Bradenton native. A partner at the law firm Blalock Walters specializing in real estate law, Robinson dominated his opponent by raising more than $455,000 in campaign contributions and spending more than $314,000.

Pratt, an attorney with her own private practice, raised more than $102,000 in campaign contributions with more than $41,000 in expenditures as of Thursday, according to campaign finance records.

Gregory, an attorney at Williams Parker Harrison Dietz and Getzen in Sarasota, also dominated Democratic opponent Liv Coleman financially. Gregory raised more than $181,000 in campaign contributions with nearly $151,000 in expenditures.

Liv Coleman, an East Manatee resident, raised more than $68,000 in campaign contributions and had nearly $40,000 in expenditures

Coleman teaches political science at the University of Tampa.

This story was originally published November 6, 2018 at 9:27 PM.