DEMOCRATS ADD ANOTHER SEAT IN FLORIDA HOUSE

Congratulations this morning to Darren Soto, who defeated Republican challenger Anthony Suarez in a special election to fill the Florida House of Representatives seat for District 49, which covers portions of Orange and Osceola counties. Soto will replace John Quinones, who resigned to run for a seat on the Osceola County Commission. Quinones, a Republican, won his race and will become the first Hispanic in a decade to serve on the county governing board.

Soto's win last evening marked the first time since 1999 that a Democrat has won a Republican seat in a special election.

Democratic activists from across the I-4 corridor worked the district on behalf of Soto, walking door-to-door and handling other tasks to assist the campaign.

Election Day was not without incident, though. Governor Charlie Crist ordered polling places in Orange and Osceola counties to remain open an extra hour after a vague threat forced two polling places at two Osceola County schools to be evacuated briefly during the afternoon.