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Brian Nathan to kick off SD 14 campaign Thursday

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Union leader Brian Nathan is kicking off his campaign for Senate District 14 on Thursday at the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association facility located at 3102 N. Habana Ave. in Tampa.

The Democrat filed in August to run for the seat, previously held by now-Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a Republican. Nathan filed just two days after Collins’ appointment.

Nathan is for now the only Democrat in the race, alongside one Republican, perennial candidate Amaro Lionheart. The GOP is expected to put up a more prominent candidate soon.

Gov. Ron DeSantis called a Special Election to replace Collins last week, setting a date for the Primary on Jan. 13, with a General Election on March 24.

Nathan’s kickoff will be hosted by a who’s who of prominent local Democrats, including House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, who is also running for a Senate seat next year.

Also hosting is Rep. Michele Rayner, who is running against Driskell for the neighboring Senate District 16 to replace term-limited Sen. Darryl Rouson.

Other elected officials supporting Nathan’s kickoff include Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen and Tampa City Council members Lynn Hurtak and Charlie Miranda.

Nathan, who serves as Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 915, is not surprisingly also boasting plenty of union support on his kickoff host committee. Among them are leaders from his own union and the local ironworkers union. Others on the committee include Hillsborough County Democratic Party caucus leaders Luis Salazar (LGBTQ+), Kimberly Smith (Labor), Jose Lucerna (Veterans), Karen Clay (Disability) and Jenny Vaughn (Progressive).

Others on the host committee include, among others, University of South Florida Democrats President Tyler Williams; University of Tampa Democrats President Logan Mueller; Mintz PTA President Drew Vaughn; Transmasc of Tampa founder Adrian Lorenzo; Mark Hanisee, Mike Drapak and Stephen Shaiken of The Hillsborough Society; Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association President Rob Kriete; and Polk Teachers Association President Stephanie Yocum.

The event will run from 5:30-8 p.m.

Nathan is a Navy veteran and Orlando native who moved to Tampa in 2008 after his military career concluded. He attended Hillsborough Community College and earned his undergraduate degrees in philosophy and sociology from the University of Tampa.

He’s a Journeyman who, before joining IBEW, worked as an electrical foreman and industrial electrician for Electro Design Engineering in Tampa.

As of Sept. 30, the date for which the most recent campaign finance data is available, Nathan had raised nearly $18,000 for the race.

He had previously announced hitting five figures in fundraising within the first two days of filing for the seat. Campaign kickoffs are typically a big financial boost for candidates, so that number will likely grow after Thursday’s event.

Collins was first elected to the Senate in 2022, flipping the seat red after former Sen. Janet Cruz had flipped it blue just four years before.

For Democrats to win the seat back — even ahead of a Midterm cycle that, if history is any indication, should favor Democrats as the party not in power in Washington — it would still be an uphill climb. Republicans control about 38.66% of the electorate, with Democrats having just under 32%. More than 29% of the district’s voters are registered with no party affiliation, according to the most recent L2 voter data.



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Woman who died after riding Universal’s Revenge of the Mummy had ruptured aneurysm

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Ma de La Luz Mejia Rosas died last month after the 70-year-old suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm on Universal’s Revenge of the Mummy ride, according to a newly released Medical Examiner’s report.

Rosas became unresponsive on Nov. 25 on the indoor roller coaster then passed away two weeks later Dec. 9 at Orlando Regional Medical Center, records showed.

“Mrs. Rosas went to the park to enjoy time with her children and grandchildren, expecting a safe and joyful experience,” lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing her family, said in a statement.

“Instead, her family is now left grieving and searching for answers. They deserve a full understanding of what happened before, during, and after this ride. We intend to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragedy and ensure her family’s voice is heard.”

Crump said he is asking for information about the ride’s operations, safety protocols, maintenance history and data on other incidents.

Universal did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Rosas’ death was publicly disclosed on a statewide theme park injury report last week.

Florida’s major theme parks are required to self-disclose all visitors’ injuries on rides if the guests were hospitalized for at least 24 hours. The report is publicly released by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, though it contains limited information on what went wrong and about visitors’ condition.

The theme park injury report showed 16 people had been hurt on Revenge of the Mummy since it opened in 2004. Most recently, a 32-year-old woman felt “neck pain/motion sickness” last year. A 60-year-old woman hadseizure in 2017. Other guests reported chest pain, light headedness, feeling nauseous or passing out.

Crump was previously representing the family of a man with disabilities who died in September after riding a roller coaster at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park.

The family and Universal settled out of court in a confidential settlement.

Millions of people visit Orlando’s theme parks every year, and a handful of tragedies occur.

Earlier this month, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against The Boathouse restaurant after a man died from choking on a steak at Disney Springs last year.



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James Uthmeier endorses Jon Maples for HD 87

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‘Jon Maples brings real-life experience, strong values and a deep commitment to Florida families.’

Fresh off a commanding Republican Primary win in the Special Election for the empty House District 87 seat, former Lake Clarke Shores Council member Jon Maples has notched an endorsement from Florida’s top cop.

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on X that he is fully behind Maples, who he said will be “a principled voice in Tallahassee.”

“Jon Maples brings real-life experience, strong values and a deep commitment to Florida families. He understands the challenges facing our state and is ready to lead with common sense,” he said.

“I’m proud to endorse Jon Maples for FL House 87.”

Uthmeier’s endorsement Tuesday adds to others from President Donald Trump, Republican Reps. Anne Gerwig, Griff Griffitts, Jon Snyder and “MAGA” Meg Weinberger, Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter, Lake Worth Beach Commissioner Mimi May, former Rep. MaryLynn Magar, the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and business group Associated Industries of Florida.

Maples won last Tuesday’s Primary with 84% of the vote over one opponent. He’s set to face Democrat Emily Gregory, who took 88% of the vote against a single Primary foe.

The winner of the March 24 Special Election will succeed former Republican Rep. Mike Caruso, who vacated the HD 87 seat in August for an appointed post as Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller.

HD 87 covers Palm Beach County’s coast from Juno Beach south to Lantana, spanning Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Hypoluxo along the way.



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Stacy Hahn files to challenge GOP incumbent Donna Cameron Cepeda in Hillsborough Commission race

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Republican Hillsborough County School Board member Stacy Hahn has filed to run for the Hillsborough County Commission, challenging another Republican in a gambit for the countywide District 5 seat.

Hahn, who has served on the Hillsborough County School Board since 2018, announced her candidacy by citing her experience with the School District as evidence of her fiscal responsibility and belief in limited government.

The countywide District 5 seat is currently held by incumbent Republican Commissioner Donna Cameron Cepeda, who won election in 2022 as part of a broader GOP sweep that flipped control of the Hillsborough County Commission

The race is already drawing significant attention, with well-funded Democratic challenger Neil Manimala also vying to claim the seat. Manimala has a significant lead in funds raised, with his campaign already reporting more than $121,000 compared to $6,000 raised by Cepeda, according to Supervisor of Elections records. Hahn has not yet been required to submit a funding report.

Hahn described herself as a conservative who supports limited government and fiscal discipline, arguing that government is most effective when it empowers individuals, families and businesses rather than expanding bureaucracy.

In a statement, Hahn said her time on the School Board gave her a firsthand view of how county-level decisions affect classrooms, neighborhoods and the local economy, touching on issues such as public safety, infrastructure, housing affordability and budgeting.

“As a School Board member, I worked closely with families, educators, and community partners, and I saw firsthand how county decisions impact our classrooms, neighborhoods, and local economy — from public safety and infrastructure to housing affordability and responsible budgeting,” Hahn said.

“Hillsborough County is a unique and beautiful place with tremendous potential. To unlock that potential, we need common-sense leadership at the County Center — leaders who are focused on improving quality of life for every neighborhood, supporting local businesses, and being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

First elected to the School Board in 2018, Hahn has focused her tenure on financial transparency, literacy initiatives, workforce and career pathways, and early childhood education. She has pointed to her oversight of the School District’s roughly $4.4 billion budget and management of the county’s largest employer as preparation for the demands of county government, saying that experience helped her balance budgets, manage growth and deliver results.

Hahn has also been involved in a range of community and nonprofit efforts, including literacy- and STEM-focused programs, according to her campaign materials. She lives in Tampa with her husband, Jeff, their three children, Ethan, Jackson and Aidan, and their dog Rocky.

Hahn said she is “excited about the work ahead and the opportunity to serve.”



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