Un-election: Tampa's Kathy Castor Returns to House

TAMPA (970 WFLA) -- If you live in Kathy Castor's congressional district and want to vote for... or against... her this November, you won't get the chance. 

Castor won automatic re-election to Congress when qualifying ran out today and no one qualified to challenge her. She is the only member of Florida's congressional delegation to run unopposed this year. 

It's a different story for one of Castor's Democratic colleagues. 

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who's represented a South Florida district for years, will face one of three Republicans, and two no-party candidates, in November. One of those independents, Tim Canova, challenged her in a Democratic primary in 2016. 

As in 2016, Canova is challenging Wasserman-Schultz from the left, claiming the former DNC chair is part of a "political machine" that has tried to rig primaries in favor of "corporate funded Democrats" and against more liberal challengers within the party. He's meeting with progressive groups around the state to get support for his campaign. 

It's the opposite just to the east, in Congressional District 15. Dennis Ross is retiring and it's a free-for-all. Twelve candidates qualified in all, including six Republicans and three Democrats. The district includes Valrico, Plant City and Lakeland. 

Two Republicans have qualified to challenge Charlie Crist in District 13. George Buck and Brad Sostack will face off in a primary. 

Three Democrats will face off for the right to challenge longtime Republican incumbent Gus Bilirakis in Congressional District 12. 

The U.S. Senate race is set... Republican Rick Scott will face an unusual primary opponent before the anticipated battle with Democrat incumbent Bill Nelson. Roque "Rocky" de la Fuente is running for a Senate seat in Florida and for Dianne Feinstein's seat in California. His team insists that's legal, as long as he moves to the state before being sworn in, if he happens to win. 

Photo credit: Getty Images


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