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Representative Debbie Mayfield woke up to bad news the after qualification day for the Senate 19 Special Election. According to the Division of Elections website, she DID NOT QUALIFY.

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Mayfield filed to run for the Senate 19 seat after ‘terming out’ of it for serving in it the last 2 terms. She ran for Florida House seat 32 and won. She previously served 8 years in the Florida House as well, running for State Senate after terming out from that position. She believed that after Randy Fine—who ran for and won her open Senate 19 seat—resigned to run for U.S. Congress, she was “presented with the opportunity to seek election to the Florida Senate once again.”

The Florida Department of State disagreed. They stated in a memo that her candidacy violated the Florida Constitution. They stated that Mayfield’s candidacy violated the Constitution because a person cannot run for Florida Senator “if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will have served (or but for resignation, would have served) in that office for eight consecutive years.”

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Further, Mayfield had to resign from her current House 32 seat in order to run for the Senate seat. The resignation is irrevocable and effective June 9th, 2025. As it stands now, after nearly 2 decades in the Florida Legislature, Debbie Mayfield will no longer be an elected official. Bus she doesn’t appear to be giving up so easily. She posted on her social media that this is retaliation from Governor DeSantis for her endorsement of Donald Trump for President. She, like others who initially endorsed DeSantis, switched her endorsement to Trump after DeSantis was performing poorly against the former President.

Today Gov DeSantis used the executive branch to punish me for endorsing Donald J Trump for President. He has weopanized the Department of State just like Biden weopanized the DOJ against @realDonaldTrump The law is on my side and we will fight for the people of Brevard

— Debbie Mayfield (@debbie_mayfield) February 5, 2025

Mayfield appears to be signaling that she will fight this decision with a lawsuit. Today at noon ends the qualifying period for her current House District 32 seat which triggered a special election when she resigned to run for Senate 19. She could technically file to run for that same seat again in the special election, but it is unlikely as she would not be able to continue to fight for the Senate seat as she has declared she will do.

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Three other Republicans actually did qualify for the primary for the Senate 19 special election which is scheduled for April 1, 2025.

Dr. Marcie Adkins, a retired economist and Parliamentarian of the Brevard Republican Executive Committee.

Mark Lightner III, a 24-year-old sales representative for TPSE.

Tim Thomas, a retired LTC for the United States Army, and former Melbourne City Councilman. Thomas initially filed to run against Randy Fine for the Senate seat last November, but failed to qualify for the race. “After thoughtful discussion and productive meeting with Senate leadership, I have decided not to run at this time,” Thomas wrote. “President-Designate Albritton was generous with his time and I appreciate his council.”

The winner of the 3 will face the only Democrat in the race Vance Aherns who ran for and lost just last November for the same seat. The seat is considered a secure one for Republicans due to the tremendous advantage Republicans have over Democrats in the district.

Three other candidates had already filed for Mayfield’s House seat for the 2025 special election. Those include Republicans Terrence Cronin (who is already facing a felony voter fraud investigation), Brian Hodgers and Robert White. School Board Member Matt Susin originally filed then dropped out after receiving no local support and coming in last in fundraising.

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