Orlando – Former State Representative Joe Saunders may make another run for Florida House in 2016. Saunders said he’s considering running again after current District 49 State Representative Rene Plasencia (R-Orlando) announced he would run for the District 50 seat in the next election.
“Some game changing news for House District 49 this week,” Saunders said via Facebook April 26. “Rene Plasencia’s decision not to seek re-election in District 49 has taken me as much by surprise as the rest of you and given me a lot to think about.”
Republican Plasencia upset then-incumbent Saunders, a Democrat, in the November 2014 election. District 49 is a typically regarded as a safe “blue seat.”
“Serving the people of House District 49 was one of the most challenging and fulfilling of my life,” Saunders said. “When I lost unexpectedly last November, I left office exhausted and disappointed from another grueling campaign, but grounded in the belief that my commitment to public service didn’t begin the day I decided to run and it wouldn’t end as a private citizen. The opportunity to return to public life sooner than I expected is one I’ll be strongly considering.”
Saunders first won his District 49 seat in 2012 in a victory that made him one of Florida’s first openly gay lawmakers.
“We made history and we challenged people’s assumptions about what was possible,” Saunders said. “I have no doubt that if I choose not to run that there are brave and talented people who can carry that torch and finish what we started.”
If Saunders decides not to run, that person may already be waiting in the wings. Saunders’ comments came days after Orange County Democratic Executive Chairman Carlos Smith said he would strongly consider a House 49 run.
Smith worked on Saunders 2014 campaign and was an aide for him while he served in the Florida House.
“My decision on whether to run for House District 49 has always been based on whether Joe Saunders was interested in taking back his old seat. As his former legislative aide, advisor to his campaigns and good friend, we make every major decision as a team. If Joe’s out, then I’m in and I’d have big shoes to fill. It’s that simple,” Smith told Orlando-Politics.com, and later posted on his own Facebook timeline.
The opening of the District 49 seat happened in a domino effect: Plasencia decided to run for District 50 after State Representative Tom Goodson (R-Titusville) announced he would be vacating his seat to run for District 51, which will be empty once the current House Speaker, Rep. Steve Crisafulli (R-Merritt Island) reaches his term limit in 2016.
Regardless of who runs and wins in District 49, they will have quite a job in front of them come 2016. The Florida House seems to be in chaos after they adjourned three days early this legislative session among stalemates with the Florida Senate over budget issues and Medicaid expansion.
For now, Saunders doesn’t have to think about that. All he needs to think about is “will he or won’t he.”
“Thank you to all of you who have sent notes of encouragement and support,” Saunders said. “I’ll be talking to my family and friends about what the future may hold and I’ll ask everyone from my Democratic family for a little bit of patience.”
