Florida's first openly gay legislator will return to Tallahassee next year... because his GOP opponent's filing fee check bounced. So much for Republican fiscal responsibility.
David Richardson, who represents a district that includes parts of Miami Beach and the City of Miami, was elected to the house in 2012 as Florida's fist openly gay legislator after defeating his primary opponents and running unopposed in the general election. This year a Republican, Laure Levey, also a former Miami Beach mayoral candidate, decided to throw her hat into the general election ring but apparently did not have her finances in order.
"CELEBRATION TIME! I just got a call from the Florida Dept. of Elections and was notified that my Republican opponent's check covering the election filing fee has 'bounced,'" wrote Richardson on his Facebook page. "She has been disqualified and as of today I AM THE OFFICIAL UNCHALLENGED WINNER in my re-election to the Florida House of Representatives District 113. You just can't make this stuff up. There will be a South Florida party coming soon."
Granted, it's not like Levey had much of a chance. The district leans heavily Democratic.
"My wife has never bounced a check in her life and she's a millionaire," Levey's husband Lewis told the Miami Herald in response.
Well, apparently this one did.
Of course, it's not particularly uncommon for incumbent state legislators to run unopposed in their districts, especially district that lean solidly one way or another (i.e. most of them thanks to Florida's thirst for gerrymandering).
Richardson was in Washington, D.C., attending the White House's Pride Reception when he got the news.
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