Not Rick Outzen vs. Matt Gaetz
Gulf Breeze News publisher Lisa Newell has filed as a Democrat to run against Niceville Republican Don Gaetz.
In a guest viewpoint in the South Santa Rosa News, Newell said she was tired of Republicans automatically winning office in the red district of Northwest Florida.
From her viewpoint:
“I believe we need a strong two-party system. As stone sharpens stone, there should be a competition for ideas that will benefit the people of our area. When I noticed that no one was challenging Don Gaetz for Florida Senate District 1, I watched to see who would step up. No one did.
I called the local Democratic leadership to ask them who was going to run, and they said they didn’t have a candidate.
They asked me if I would consider running. I scoffed because I am very happy in my role at Gulf Breeze News. But it continued to nag at me. Would we just let someone walk into the senate seat, continuing the Republican lock on the Florida legislature?”
Florida Senate District 1 includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, and part of Okaloosa counties. Gaetz served in the Senate from 2006 to 2016, including as president during the 2013 and 2014 legislative sessions. He is seeking to return this year, as Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, faces term limits.