From Patmos Chapel Church
Democratic candidates Coretta Anthony-Smith, LaVon Bracy-Davis, Randolph Bracy, and Alan Grayson, who are vying for the Senate District 15 special primary election on June 24th, have been invited to participate in a candidate forum at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12th at Patmos Chapel Seventh-day Adventist Church, 110 Athletes Row, Apopka 32703.
The special election is being held to fill the seat vacated by long-time Senator Geraldine Thompson, who died on February 13th.
Grayson, a Harvard University graduate, is a former U.S. Congressman who left office in 2017. While in Congress, he was an advocate for progressive causes, including affordable housing, Medicaid expansion, lower insurance costs, free state college education, and clean water and sewer systems.
Related: The return of Alan Grayson.
Anthony-Smith, a graduate of Georgetown and the University of Florida, is the managing attorney for Anthony-Smith Law. Though she’s never held a public office, Anthony-Smith says she’s worked to advocate for people suffering from unfair insurance practices. “I want to continue to fight for people and do it on a larger scale in Tallahassee,” she told Orlando magazine.
Related: Could Coretta Anthony-Smith be a new voice in the Florida Legislature?
LaVon Bracy Davis, a graduate of Howard University and Florida A&M, resigned from her seat in the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 40, to run in the special election. She is also an attorney who has worked on issues including affordable housing, women’s rights, civil rights, gun safety, accessible healthcare, and strengthening public education, according to her website.
Related: Bracy Davis running for state senate with a focus on affordability and education.
Randolph Bracy III, a graduate of the College of William and Mary and the University of Central Florida, served in the Florida House from 2013 to 2022. During his tenure, Bracy served on many committees, including Judiciary, Ethics and Elections, Senate Appropriations, and Criminal Justice, which he chaired. He told West Orange Times, There has not been a democrat in Orange County who has the record I have.”
Related: Randolph Bracy: "We desperately need good leadership"
The winner of the special primary election will go on to face Republican Willie Montague in the general election on September 2nd. Florida state senators serve four-year terms and earn $29,697 annually. As of June 8th, Grayson and Anthony-Smith have confirmed their attendance.
The discussion is open to the public.
Editor's note: The date of the candidate forum was incorrectly written as July 12th when first published. The correct date is June 12th. The article was updated on June 10, 2025 at 3:47pm to reflect the corrected date.
