Edwin Pérez launches campaign to flip HD 51 in Special Election

Edwin Pérez is launching a campaign for the Special Election in House District 51, the seat opening up as Rep. Josie Tomkow runs for Senate.

Pérez, a Haines City community advocate, is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination ahead of the March 24 election. HD 51 includes Polk City, Davenport, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Loughman, Auburndale and the Kathleen area north of Socrum Road.

“Polk County is about to go through a full Legislative Session with no one in the House fighting for our local projects, our schools, or our hospitals,” Pérez said in a news release.

“That’s what happens when career politicians put their own ambitions and special interests ahead of the people they were elected to serve. I’m running to change that and put working people first in Polk County.”

Pérez, who filed and qualified for the ballot last week, is framing himself in contrast to Tomkow, pointing to the Republican Representative’s low marks from left-leaning groups such as Progress Florida and Florida Watch.

His campaign will focus on issues such as rising insurance costs, the county’s affordability crunch and a looming school district funding gap — currently a $2.5 million shortfall that officials warn could grow tenfold or more.

Pérez said those challenges are compounded by cuts at the federal level to entitlement programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, which he called “backwards” for working families in Polk County.

“While families here are choosing between rent, groceries, and medicine, MAGA politicians in Washington and Tallahassee are cutting food assistance and health care and giving tax breaks to billionaires,” Pérez said. “That’s backwards. Our district needs a Representative who will fight those priorities — not rubber-stamp them.”

Pérez’s campaign is already touting endorsements from Polk County Democratic Party Chair John Hill and Democratic former Sen. Vic Torres, who said HD 51 has “been underserved for far too long by Republican leaders more focused on special interests than on the needs of working families.”

“Edwin Pérez offers a real change. He listens, he shows up, and he understands that this job is about fighting for better wages, affordable housing, strong public schools, and safer communities — not advancing the priorities of big donors or extremist agendas in Tallahassee,” Torres said.

While unopposed for the Democratic nomination, Pérez faces a tough road in the General Election.

According to the most recent L2 voter data, the northern Polk County seat has an advantage for Republicans, with nearly 34% of the electorate registered to the GOP, compared to just 31% who are Democrats. Tomkow won her most recent re-election last year with 57% of the vote over Democrat Octavio Hernandez. The same cycle saw President Donald Trump carry the district with 56% of the vote.

Pérez is also going up against a candidate with strong backing. Republican Hilary Holley, the Executive Director of the Florida FFA Foundation, filed for the seat in October and has since picked up Tomkow’s endorsement. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, former Sen. Denise Grimsley, Polk County Republican Reps. Jon Albert and Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, and former Rep. Neil Combee have also lined up in support.

After Tomkow announced her bid for the Senate seat vacated by now-Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, Gov. Ron DeSantis set a Special Primary in HD 51 for Jan. 13, followed by a Special General Election on March 24. Holley and Pérez were the only candidates to qualify for the ballot, so no Primary will be held.