Central Florida voters will choose from among several familiar faces Tuesday in two special elections for the state Legislature to fill the vacancies caused by the unexpected death of longtime state Sen. Geraldine Thompson earlier this year.
Outgoing state Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, Thompson’s protégé, is the Democratic nominee for Senate District 15, which was held by Thompson and includes parts of Orlando, Ocoee, Apopka and Winter Garden.
Beginning in 2022, Bracy Davis was twice elected to represent House District 40, which includes parts of west Orlando and Pine Hills, before she announced her resignation in April in order to run for Senate.
That left another vacancy, which she hopes will be filled Tuesday by Democrat RaShon Young, her former chief of staff, who she has endorsed and credits as a key part of her success in Tallahassee.
Bracy Davis is facing Republican nominee Willie Montague, the founder of the House of Timothy center for teen boys. Young is facing Republican nominee Tuan Le, an aerospace engineer and businessman, and write-in candidate Christopher Hall, a security officer who says he lives in Tallahassee.
Both GOP nominees face an uphill battle. Senate District 15 leans Democratic, and no Republican candidates vied for the seat in 2022 or 2024. House District 40 is heavily Democratic, and Bracy Davis won there with 65% and 68% in her elections.
Thompson passed away in February after what her family said were complications from a knee replacement surgery. First elected to state office in 2006, she represented parts of Orlando and western Orange County in the Legislature for a period spanning nearly 20 years. She was remembered as a trailblazer and civil rights icon by Democrats and Republicans alike.
Bracy Davis said Thompson was an old family friend before they became colleagues in the Legislature. She said she would like to carry on Thompson’s legacy by continuing to champion the causes she held dear.
“She was a fighter for history, for education, …for voters rights,” Bracy Davis said. “I’m ready to ensure that as I walk in her footsteps, that I will also honor the work that she’s done in the past.”
She said three of her sponsored bills were passed in her freshmen year as a lawmaker, proving she can get things done in Tallahassee even as a Democrat in a Legislature with a GOP supermajority.
Montague has mounted three unsuccessful congressional campaigns in Central Florida since 2020. When asked for an interview by the Orlando Sentinel, he responded with an emailed statement saying his priorities as a candidate are addressing affordability, economic development and public safety.
“Through initiatives like the House of Timothy and other outreach efforts, I’ve worked to help young men heal from trauma, overcome addiction, and step into brighter futures,” he said. “In the Florida Senate, my goals are to expand that kind of impact on a broader scale — creating opportunities for families, supporting small businesses, and strengthening our schools.”
As of their last filings on July 24, Bracy Davis has raised $72,813 and spent $43,151, while Montague has raised $4,972 and spent $4,013, according to campaign finance records.
Young says his service as Bracy Davis’ chief of staff has prepared him to hold office. He said he has already built relationships with lawmakers in Tallahassee, and like his mentor will use those to get legislation passed. If elected, he plans to prioritize educational reform and providing quality access to affordable healthcare.
“I am going to speak and stand flat-footed for the rights of our constituents,” he said. “I also am prepared and ready to work with the other side and work across the aisle to make sure that we bring some wins back home for House District 40.”
Le, a Vietnamese immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for 33 years, says he grew up in Pine Hills. He decided to run for office because he believes he can help his country with some of the insight he has gleaned as a business owner. He mounted two unsuccessful congressional campaigns in 2022 and 2024 before GOP figures encouraged him to run for District 40.
He said while he understands he needs “a miracle” to win in such a heavily Democratic district, he hopes voters will look past party affiliation and give him a chance. He believes Democrats have failed the district over the years and that it needs change. If elected, Le said he will focus on rezoning, educational reform and a tax credit for small businesses.
“If they [Democrats] really want to do something for the people, they had their chance for 40 years already. They did not do anything,” he said. “…But people still vote for Democrats because they are Democrats…I want them [voters] to think of who is the best candidate for them right now, what we need.”
As of July 24, Young has raised $72,459 and spent $59,717, according to campaign finance records. Le has not filed any campaign finance reports with the state, which he says is because he is funding his entire campaign out of his own pocket. He plans to eventually fill out reports stating that he has raised over $15,000.
Campaign paperwork shows Le currently lives in Apopka, outside of District 40. He said he splits time between the Apopka residence, another in Orlando and another in Titusville. State law requires legislators to be residents of their districts, but only as of election day. Le said he plans to move into the district if elected and is currently looking at a property in the district.
Polls will be open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday. Early voting lasts until Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.