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GOP selects Tom Wright to run in Dorothy Hukill's place in Senate election against Democrat Mel Martin

Dave Berman
Florida Today
Tom Wright

New Smyrna Beach business owner Tom Wright was selected Thursday night by Republican Party officials to run for Florida Senate in District 14. 

Wright will run in place of Sen. Dorothy Hukill, who died last week. 

The district includes northern Brevard County and southern Volusia County.

Hukill, 72, of Port Orange, died after a recurrence of cervical cancer. Her name will remain on the Nov. 6 ballot, because ballots already have been printed and vote-by-mail ballots have been mailed out. But a vote for Hukill will count as a vote for Wright. 

Wright will face Democrat Mel Martin of Cocoa, a retired Marine Corps major and an organizational leader on anti-corruption and environmental issues.

Previous reporting:

More than dozen Republicans interested in filling Hukill’s place

Sen. Hukill dies at 72 following 'aggressive recurrence' of cervical cancer

Here's what officials are saying about Sen. Dorothy Hukill

Sen. Hukill had more than a two-decade career in public office

Six Republican Party officials — three each from Brevard and Volusia counties — selected Wright over three other nominees. 

Wright received five of the six votes in the secret ballot during a meeting of party officials in New Smyrna Beach. 

The vote was weighted in favor of Volusia County, because 52.3 percent of the registered Republicans in Senate District 14 live in Volusia and 47.7 percent live in Brevard. All three members of the committee from Volusia supported Wright, who was nominated by Volusia County Republican Chairman Tony Ledbetter.

Florida Sen. Dorothy Hukill

More than a dozen Republicans applied to be considered for the position. But the only people the selection panel could vote for were four they nominated. 

Wright, 66, told the panel that, as a state senator, he “will do you a good job and stay the course” in honoring Hukill’s legacy. 

He told FLORIDA TODAY after the meeting that he planned to fund his campaign with his own money, and has “a lot of resources” to do so. He said he has not yet determined how much he will spend on the campaign.

In nominating Wright, Ledbetter said Wright is "a proven leader" who would represent the district in the conservative tradition of Hukill.

The other candidates nominated Thursday night were:

• Erika Benfield, a DeBary city councilwoman in Seat 2, who received one of the three Brevard votes.

Benfield was nominated by Brevard State Committeewoman Cheryl Lankes.

• Monique Miller of Palm Bay, a Republican precinct committeewoman, and former candidate for Florida Senate in District 16 and Florida House in District 52. Miller is involved in software sales.

Miller was nominated by Brevard Republican State Committeeman Mike Thomas.

• Cindy Roberts of Cocoa, a Republican District 1 chairwoman for the north Brevard area and a precinct committeewoman. Roberts has worked as an electrical engineer for defense and aerospace companies.

Roberts was nominated by Brevard Republican Executive Committee Chairman Rick Lacey.

In reacting to Wright's becoming her new Republican opponent in the race, Martin said: "While it is under the most unfortunate of circumstances, I commend Tom Wright for putting himself forward as a candidate for public office. I do not believe, however, he offers the right experience, the right wherewithal nor the right solutions for the complex issues currently plaguing our communities.    

Martin said Brevard and Volusia counties, "and the many cities and towns within Senate District 14, have a spectrum of issues, with which I’ve grown intimately familiar over the last year. I listen to the people, I understand their concerns, and I plan to carry those concerns and subject-matter expert advice to Tallahassee."

In a letter to the nominating committee members, Wright wrote: "I believe I have the skills, life experience and record of success to strongly support our community as the Republican nominee for Florida Senate. I am ready, willing and able to take on this last-minute race to a successful finish to keep this seat Republican."

"I have been asked to serve in many ways over the years, and each time, I have given 100 percent of my abilities to succeed and come out on the top," Wright wrote. "I have the desire to lead, and flourish in everything I do. At 66 years young, I have many years of service to share, and this Senate seat would be the ultimate way I could serve." 

Wright owns two businesses based in Minnesota: one that makes air-supplied respiratory protection equipment and one that makes compressed air filter products. He oversees them from New Smyrna Beach.

"I am a self-made businessman," Wright wrote in his letter. "I have no one that I owe or am beholden to. Through hard work, I have been blessed with business success, and I know firsthand what it takes to run a business, make payroll, live within a budget and make the tough decisions that come with running a business."

Wright — who has lived in Volusia County since 2004 — also cited the volunteer efforts of he and his wife, Cindy.

"With the success of our businesses and other investments, we started years ago looking for ways to help our community," Wright wrote. "There have been countless ways we have helped, and, over time, we have focused on children, veterans and pets in need." 

Wright and the three other nominees all made brief remarks to the selection committee before the vote.

Democrat Mel Martin of Cocoa is running for the Florida Senate seat in District 14.

The other nominees, while touting their own strengths, also indicated that Martin would be a formidable opponent for the Republicans.

"This is one of the most dangerous" Florida Senate districts for a potential flip from Republican to Democrat, Miller said.

Roberts said Martin "is going to be a difficult candidate to beat."

Benfield said Martin has proven to be an aggressive campaigner, including reaching out to Republican voters.

Martin, 42, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and received a law degree from the Barry University School of Law.

Others who applied for consideration as the replacement for Hukill also were in attendance at the meeting, which was held in a conference room of the SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel in New Smyrna Beach.

Among them was Florida Rep. Tom Goodson, who cannot seek re-election to the House because of term limits. Goodson, a resident of Rockledge, served eight years in the Florida House, and previously served as a Canaveral Port Authority commissioner.

Goodson told FLORIDA TODAY that he "was honored to be even considered," adding that he is sure Wright "will be a great senator."

At one point during the half-hour meeting, Lacey asked for a five-minute recess, and left the room with the two other Brevard representatives on the selection committee. 

When they returned, Lacey made a brief statement, saying it was "important to unify as a party" so the Republicans "can move toward victory."

Lacey told FLORIDA TODAY after the meeting that, during the recess, he discussed with Lankes and Thomas having a unified front behind one candidate, as he expected the Volusia committee members all would vote for Wright, clinching the nomination for Wright, even without Brevard support.

According to reports from the Brevard County and Volusia County supervisor of elections offices, 38.8 percent of the registered voters in District 14 are registered Republicans, 32.8 percent are Democrats, 27.6 percent have no party affiliation and 0.8 percent are members of a minor political party.

Hukill, an attorney, was chair of the Senate Education Committee, as well as vice chair of the Regulated Industries Committee and of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources.

Elected to the Florida Senate in 2012, she also was a member of Senate Agriculture Committee, Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee, Health Policy Committee and Transportation Committee, as well as of the Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight.

She missed the 2017 legislative session as she was recovering from surgery for cervical cancer.

Prior to becoming a state senator, Hukill served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2004 to 2012. She also was mayor of Port Orange from 2000 to 2004; vice mayor of Port Orange from 1998 to 2000; and a Ponce Inlet town councilwoman from 1992 to 1994.

FLORIDA TODAY Business Editor Wayne T. Price contributed to this report.

Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY.

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649

or dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

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