1-minute voting guide: Tampa's SD 14 special election
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Residents across Lutz, Carrollwood and South Tampa will head to the polls Tuesday to choose their next state senator.
Why it matters: Nearly 300,000 residents in state Senate District 14 have been without representation for seven months, including this year's entire legislative session.
- Lt. Gov. Jay Collins (R) vacated the seat in August.
Driving the news: State Rep. Josie Tomkow (R-Polk County) and Tampa Democrat Brian Nathan are vying for the seat.
- Nathan, a Navy veteran and union leader, entered the race in August and has raised more than $100,000. He's drawn support from labor unions and Tampa City Council members Guido Maniscalco and Bill Carson.
- Tomkow left her term-limited House seat to run for the state Senate and has nearly $150,000 in cash on hand. She's received endorsements from Sheriff Chad Chronister, U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee and Tampa firefighters.
How it works: Only residents of the district can vote in the special election. You can check whether you're eligible by entering your address here.
- To vote on Election Day, you must go to the polling place assigned to your precinct, which you can find here.
Zoom in: Both candidates have positioned themselves as champions of working families.
- Tomkow, however, describes herself as a "conservative Republican" who supports local law enforcement and federal deportation efforts. She cited her legislative record of voting for tax relief.
- Nathan has used his experience as an electrician to set himself apart from those in Tallahassee who, in his words, "haven't gotten their hands dirty." He has advocated for higher wages and more affordable housing.
Between the lines: Gov. Ron DeSantis may have held back from calling the special election because the district has a history of changing hands. Before Collins won the seat in 2022, former state Sen. Janet Cruz (D) held it.
- Still, Republicans have a voter registration advantage of about 23,000 in the district, and have outpaced Democrats in early voting turnout.