The Republican Party of Florida congratulated Samantha Scott on winning the Special Election for House District 52 after her opponent, Democrat Pamala Kaye Bivins, withdrew from the race this week.
“The people of Sumter and Hernando counties are very fortunate to have a leader like Samantha Scott who will fight for their best interests in Tallahassee,” Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power wrote in a release. “They can count on Samantha to begin working from day one to defend our freedoms, support families, and strengthen our communities.”
The GOP also called Scott, a Hernando County resident, a "principled conservative" who will bring "deep community roots and a strong record of service" to the House.
In addition, the party praised her for being a successful business leader and job creator. Before her candidacy, Scott was the youngest Executive Director of the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of politics, Scott produced a multi-million dollar real estate career and managed her family's business, Mike Scott Plumbing. The GOP acknowledged her experience supporting local families and small businesses was a sign of her "commitment to strengthening the local economy and keeping government accountable."
Scott was the only candidate who qualified for the ballot, leaving her victory essentially by default. The HD 52 Special Election Primary was set for Jan 13, with the general election on March 24.
That will not be necessary. Under Florida Statute 101.151, Scott's primary victory effectively cancels a general election from being necessary.
Scott will take over for John Paul Temple, who resigned in September after being named president of Lake-Sumter State College.
Despite her win, Scott may not be seated in time for the state's legislative session, which begins on Jan. 13. Under House rules, Scott will not officially represent HD 52 until the day after the general election takes place, or March 25.
The Florida Legislative Session is set to end on March 13. Therefore, HD 52 will likely not have any representation during the legislative period, barring an unforeseen circumstance or extension of the session's scheduled end date.
