With a scant 15-vote margin, Democrat Sharon Pritchett won a seat representing District 103 in the state House of Representatives in a special election, Tuesday. But the narrow victory seems almost certain to trigger a recount.
State Rep. Oscar Braynon II won the Democratic nomination for state Senate District 33 and will face Republican Joe Celestin, former mayor of North Miami, in a special election March 1.
With all precincts reporting, Pritchett, chief investigator for the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s office, received 1,665 votes or 41.6 percent of the total, to Barbara Watson's 1,651. Erhabor Ighodaro received 684 votes.
With no Republican opposition, Pritchett was automatically elected. On election night Watson said that she might seek a recount.
Results are unofficial until certified by Miami-Dade election officials.
With all precincts reporting in the Senate race, Braynon received 4,068 votes or 41.4 percent of ballots cast. Phillip J. Brutus trailed with 3,824 votes or 38.9 percent.
Lagging far behind were James Bush III with 1,163 votes or 11.8 percent and Darryl Franklin Reaves with 783 votes or eight percent. All four candidates are former state representatives.
The Senate seat became vacant on the election of Frederica Wilson to the U.S. Congress last November. Braynon left his House seat to run for the Senate, leaving the District 103 slot open.
Senate District 33 stretches from Miami Gardens to Overtown and includes sections of El Portal, Miami Shores and North Miami. House District 103 spans parts of Miami Gardens, Opa-locka and Miramar.
Jessica Padilla, Giovanna Maselli and Ana Perez, all of Florida International University, contributed to this report.
Jessica De Leon may be reached at jdele002@fiu.edu.
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