The first major candidate has announced a run for Republican Bill Young’s vacant Congressional District 13 – which he held for 43 years until his death earlier this month. Former Florida CFO Alex Sink, a Democrat, is running to represent Pinellas County and its beach communities. WUSF’s Bobbie O’Brien has more.
Alex Sink wasted no time after her run for Congress became public. She spent her first day campaigning and visiting with folks at Shorty’s – a popular Clearwater restaurant. The Republican Party of Florida sent out a “rapid response video and release detailing what they call “Alex Sink’s failures.”
Sink was not surprised by the GOP response.
"I’ve had a lot of experience with the Republican mean machine", Sink said. "You know, this is the reason I’m running because I think that people are sick and tired of this kind of bickering back and forth, negative campaigning. People in Florida know me."Currently the former CFO does not live in the district. However, she says she plans to move within weeks and points out that Pinellas voters supported her for CFO and voted for her for governor in a close race against Rick Scott.