North Florida Republican state Sen. Corey Simon has drawn a Democratic challenger in a longtime public school advocate. Sheria Griffin has filed to run for Senate District 3.
Normally, state Senators serve four years terms, and Simon was just elected last year. But due to redistricting, he will be up for re-election early and Griffin is trying to block that.
“What I want to bring, more than anything, is energy to a campaign for the people. Not against a person, not for any other reason but to make people more engaged in the legislative process," she said in an interview with WFSU.
Griffin's entry into the race came with a statement from Leon Democratic Party Chairman Ryan Ray, who said in the press release, “Sheria offers voters a great chance to elect a State Senator who actually represents our region’s values — not the radical right-wing agenda of Ron DeSantis and MAGA Republican legislative leaders.”
Simon is former NFL and Florida State University football player who spearheaded the state’s new universal school voucher program through the legislature. Demand for the program is high. Recently, the state's largest voucher funding organization, Step Up For Students, reported it has awarded 270,000 voucher scholarships for the upcoming school year, 70,000 more than last year.
Griffin works for an education union bargaining unit and is a former public school teacher. She’s hoping to draw out Democrats who often vote in larger numbers during presidential cycles. Simon was elected last year amid low Democratic voter turnout. He managed to unseat Democrat Loranne Ausley after the district was redrawn.
Democrats are hoping to take it back.
Also in the race is Quincy Democrat Kimblin Eugene NeSmith.
