Florida District 93: Five candidates compete for newly-drawn seat – Palm Beach Post

August 9, 2022 Kim Martel

The two-week early voting period, which runs through Aug. 21, begins in most of the state's large counties Monday, including at 21 locations in Palm Beach County. For the first time, county voters will be able to make appointments so they can avoid lines.

Matt Willhite’s decision to leave the state House to run for the Palm Beach County Commission has left newly drawn District 93 wide open.

Four Democrats – youth director Shelly Albright, social worker Seth Densen, legislator staff member Tom Valeo and Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Katherine Waldron – are competing in the Aug. 23 primary essentially to replace Willhite, whose old District 86 covered much of the same territory as District 93.

The winner will face Republican Saulis Banionis, a Wellington physician who is running unopposed, in the November general election.

Voters will now be able to make appointments:Two-week early voting period begins Monday

Baffling ballots?:Ballot instruction for Florida governor confusing some readers; officials say it’s not a problem

Primary elections:Three Democrats vie for County Commission’s western District 6 seat

Whoever wins the Democratic primary will likely capture the seat. Voters in that district chose President Joe Biden over Donald Trump in 2020 by more than 10 points, according to MCI Maps.

The 93rd House district includes the village of Wellington and stretches east to include portions of Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach and Boynton Beach in unincorporated Palm Beach County.

Members of the Florida House of Representatives serve two-year terms with term limits and can remain in office no more than four consecutive terms.

A look at the Democratic candidates:

Shelly Lariz Albright

Age and residence: Albright, 52, lives in Wellington.

Top campaign priorities: Albright lists nine key issues on her campaign page. Leading the list is fighting for a woman’s right to choose. Albright also wants gun reform, increased teacher salaries and aims to bring back state dollars to relieve local traffic issues.

Professional history: Since 2019, Albright has been director of children and youth ministries at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Wellington.

Political background: No previous political experience.

Education: Bachelor’s in English literature, University of Florida.

Criminal history: None.

Endorsements: Albright’s campaign page lists a number of endorsements from individual local leaders including Royal Palm Beach Mayor Fred Pinto, former Wellington mayors Kathy Foster and Bob Margolis and Wellington council members Michael Drahos, Michael Napoleone and Tanya Siskind. Moms Demand Action, a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun safety, also has endorsed Albright.

Finances: Albright has raised $23,703 through July 29 and loaned herself $20,000. She has spent $6,805.

Key questions:

ABORTION

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this year banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Do you support or oppose this legislation?

“I oppose the recent change in legislation banning abortions after 15 weeks. All persons should have the right to make their own health care decisions regarding their bodies. I am an advocate for women’s reproductive rights, including the right to choose what is right for them without barriers or judgment. I am proud that my campaign is endorsed by WiN NOW, which is at the forefront of protecting women’s right to choose.”

PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION/DON’T SAY GAY BILL

Gov. DeSantis signed a bill into law that prohibits school districts from encouraging discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3. Do you oppose or support repealing the law?

“I support repealing the Parental Rights in Education/Don’t Say Gay Bill. We currently do not and have never taught sex education in grades K-3 in Palm Beach County. I do believe children should be taught information that is age-appropriate. I am absolutely opposed to legislation that is exclusionary. Teachers work best in situations where their hands are not tied, and that all students should feel included. This legislation is less about parental rights and more about pushing a culture-war agenda.

“Instead, we should be focusing on filling the teacher shortage, making sure our students and teachers feel safe in the classroom, increasing our teacher’s salaries and valuing the expertise of our experienced teachers. We need to increase our spending per student. Florida ranks No. 44 in average student spending. I am particularly concerned about the 20% of students who learn differently. The children who slip through the cracks. We are asking our teachers to educate students without the tools they need.”

DISNEY

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this year to repeal a law allowing Walt Disney World to effectively self-govern its properties in Florida. Do you oppose or support repealing the law?

“I oppose repealing this law. The Republican Party claims it is all about “less government,” yet wants to control those corporations that oppose their beliefs on certain issues. The counties surrounding Disney also oppose repealing the law because they will have to pay for many of the services Disney currently pays for – fire rescue, police, infrastructure – resulting in major tax increases for their residents. This is just a petty use of power by Gov. DeSantis.”

ELECTIONS

Former President Donald Trump has contested the results of the 2020 election through legal challenges in various states and the Supreme Court. Do you believe the 2020 election that resulted in Joe Biden winning the presidency was accurate or inaccurate?

I believe the 2020 election results naming Joe Biden our President were accurate. Numerous investigations and legal challenges have taken place across the country with no evidence of vote fraud. Many Republican officials have also stated that they believe the election was accurate. Just because you do not win does not give you the right to act like a schoolyard bully and make false allegations.

GUN RIGHTS

Gov. DeSantis has pledged to sign what supporters call a “constitutional carry” bill that would allow residents to carry concealed guns without needing licenses. Do you support or oppose the passage of this bill into law?

“I oppose the passage of any bill that allows residents to carry concealed guns without obtaining a license. I believe it is our responsibility to create a culture of gun safety with sensible gun laws, with more detailed background checks, expanded red-flag laws, without loopholes and by banning high-capacity magazines and assault weapons. We need to engage responsible gun owners and dealers in solutions to this seemingly unending gun violence. I am proud that I was named a “Gun Sense” candidate by Moms Demand Action.”

CONDO LAWS

The collapse of the condominium building last June in Surfside, killing 98 people in South Florida, prompted a call for new laws requiring mandatory inspections of such buildings to prevent another disaster. One bill introduced would have established mandatory building inspections for all multifamily residential buildings three or more stories in height. The inspections would be performed once the building reaches 30 years old and then every 10 years. Do you support or oppose the passage of such a bill into law?

“I support the passage of such a bill into law. South Florida has one of the highest numbers of high-rise buildings in the country. We cannot take the chance of another Surfside happening again.”

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

Do you support or oppose any legislation that would legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use?

“I strongly support the medicinal use of marijuana. I have mixed feelings about legalizing marijuana for recreational use.”

LOCAL QUESTION

Rent prices continue to skyrocket, forcing many people and families out of homes. Would you support or oppose a rent-stabilization bill?

“I would support a rent stabilization bill. We are in the midst of a housing crisis in Florida. I believe we also need to require landlords to provide a 60-90 day written notice of a rental increase of more than 5% on an annual lease and a 30-45 day notice on a monthly lease.”

Seth Densen

Age and residence: Densen, 38, lives in Wellington.

Top campaign priorities: Densen is focused on several education-based issues, including increasing teacher salaries to a minimum of $60,000 annually and providing feminine hygiene products in all elementary and middle schools. He also promises to push for firearm reform by expanding background checks and prohibiting those convicted of domestic violence from owning a gun.

Professional history: Densen has worked as a social worker since 2016, including a position at Jupiter Medical Center since 2021. Densen also serves as an adjunct instructor and previously worked as an investigator and supervisor at the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Political background: None.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in family studies, University of Utah; master’s degree in social work, Adelphi University.

Criminal history: None.

Endorsements: None listed. “My time is spent going door to door to get to know the voters and the issues that matter to them,” Densen said.

Finances: Denson is last in District 93 campaign financing, having raised $6,800. He has spent all of it, including more than half on campaign signs and an election filing fee.

Key questions:

ABORTION

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this year banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Do you support or oppose this legislation?

“I fully support a woman’s right to choose. I’ve seen firsthand, not just adult women but children with my background in child welfare, that as a result of abuse, incest, rape, etc., having to carry a baby to term that they did not want to carry to term. To impose that on child, or even an adult, is simply serving to re-traumatize them every single day they have to carry that baby.”

PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION/DON’T SAY GAY BILL

“We already talk and teach sexual education and health in many forms in schools. We do it with parental consent. So if the law was to stay on the books, at least give parents the option to be able to consent or not consent, like we do with other forms of sexual health and education.”

DISNEY

Gov. DeSantis signed a bill this year to repeal a law allowing Walt Disney World to effectively self-govern its properties in Florida. Do you oppose or support repealing the law?

“I support repealing it. This goes back to the government being intrusive and inserting itself into municipalities, cities and towns, where they have no business.”

ELECTIONS

“First of all, the election was not rigged and it was not stolen. It’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Many courts already spoke on this issue. They gave their opinion and we need to respect that like we would for any issue. We have to obey the laws of the land, and this was that. The people spoke and the courts upheld it.”

GUN RIGHTS

“I oppose it. You might as well let anybody drive a vehicle without a license. We need to have some type of checks and balances when it comes to firearms. I don’t believe anybody should just be able to willy-nilly carry a firearm with no checks behind it.”

CONDO LAWS

“I support that. Thirty years might be a little too much. I probably would have moved it to 20 years. But either way I can respect it. We have to take care, not just of our buildings, but the inhabitants in them. You’re paying a mortgage, you’re paying rent – you deserve to live in a structure that is safe and structurally sound.”

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

Do you support or oppose any legislation that would legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use?

“We have to define what recreational and amount means. Would I support it? I do, but there has to be caveats to that. Just like you can’t drive under the influence of alcohol, you shouldn’t be able to drive under the influence of marijuana or any other substance.”

LOCAL QUESTION

Rent prices continue to skyrocket, forcing many people and families out of homes. Would you support or oppose a rent-stabilization bill?

“I’ve rented for the last three years because I can’t afford to buy (a house). My rent goes up every year and I have three kids. So, I think there needs to be rent stabilization, a cap on rent. Also, preventing these big conglomerates from buying up whole entire blocks of residential homes is something I would support.”

Thomas Valeo

Age and residence: Valeo, 29, lives in Wellington.

Top campaign priorities: Valeo wants to expand access to health care and home ownership and ensure schools have more resources to help students, teachers and staff. He’d also work to strengthen Florida’s gun laws, particularly expanding background checks and Florida’s existing “red-flag” laws.

Professional history: A school district employee, Valeo worked as a legislative aide for then-state Rep. Lori Berman (now a state senator) and later for state Rep. Matt Willhite beginning in 2016.

Political background: Valeo is running for his first elective office, but he has several years experience working as a district aide for Berman and then under Willhite. In early 2018, he became Willhite’s legislative assistant, helping to draft bills and appropriations requests for Palm Beach County.

Education: Bachelor’s in political science and government, Florida Atlantic University

Criminal history: None.

Endorsements: Valeo lists 14 local and state elected officials as endorsements on his campaign page, including state Sen. Bobby Powell. He also lists eight state representatives as supporters, including District 88 State Rep. Jervonte Edmonds. Former Boynton Beach City Commissioners Justin Katz and Christina Romelus have endorsed Valeo as well.

Finances: Valeo has raised just over $20,000 and spent nearly $13,000 as of July 29.

Key questions:

ABORTION

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this year banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Do you support or oppose this legislation?

“I opposed this legislation. When it was proposed, I worked in the Florida Legislature with opponents of the bill to draft amendments that would, at the very least, provide exceptions for rape or incest. Nonetheless, rational proposals like this failed.

“It is my view that contraception and abortion are forms of health care. And those who are choosing to take away this form of health care are causing more damage and creating more problems than solutions. But, I will take it one step further. Most Floridians disapprove of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, nearly 57% percent based on a policy survey from the University of South Florida. Therefore, I would support a proposal for a constitutional amendment in Florida codifying access to contraception and abortion.”

PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION/DON’T SAY GAY BILL

“I support repealing this law. The school curriculum does not teach about sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3. In fact, the school curriculum is decided and enforced by the Florida secretary of education – appointed by the governor, and there is no evidence that sexual orientation and gender identity are being taught at the K-3 levels. Further, the language in this law is ambiguous and has only raised concerns about the ability of schools to create safe, healthy, and inclusive school environments. I think this law should be judged on how it will affect real people like our educators and students.”

DISNEY

Gov. DeSantis signed a bill this year to repeal a law allowing Walt Disney World to effectively self-govern its properties in Florida. Do you oppose or support repealing the law?

“I support repealing this legislation until we can have a full and proper economic impact study. The Reedy Creek Improvement District oversees thousands of employees and creates billions of dollars in economic activity for Florida. Unfortunately, the Florida Legislature never spent any significant time analyzing the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s role in Florida’s economy and tourism industry. The first time this issue came before the legislature was when the CEO of Disney spoke out against a legislative priority of Governor DeSantis – the Parental Rights in Education Bill, dubbed the ‘Don’t Stay Gay’ bill by opponents. Using the levers of government to punish companies that disagree with legislation is absolutely inappropriate.”

ELECTIONS

“The results of the 2020 election accurately resulted in President Joe Biden winning the presidency. Don’t just take my word for it; the current governor of Florida acknowledged that Florida was an example of elections done right. However, policies coming out of Tallahassee since the 2020 election have only hurt voter confidence and have made it more difficult to vote. Unfunded mandates on (supervisors of elections), limitations to who in your household can drop off your absentee ballot, the inability for groups to pass out water bottles in long voting lines, and an elections “police force” only damage our election integrity. I would propose providing more funding to local (elections) offices to ensure they have all the resources they need to run smooth elections and eliminate barriers to the ballot box.

“The battle to protect American democracy begins and ends in state legislatures, and I will work every day to ensure everyone’s vote counts.”

GUN RIGHTS

“I oppose legislation allowing residents to carry concealed guns without a license. And honestly, most responsible gun owners would oppose this legislation as well. It is distasteful to propose irresponsible policies in a state still healing from gun violence like we have seen at Pulse Night Club in Orlando and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

“We must continue to work towards passing common-sense gun safety legislation. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, most Floridians thought we should act on gun reform legislation; the Legislature passed one of the most comprehensive pieces of gun safety legislation our state has ever seen. However, there is still more work to be done.

“I support strengthening red-flag laws that will enable parents, grandparents, legal guardians, spouses and siblings to seek a (risk protection order) if they fear someone close to them is an imminent shooting risk. In addition, we must strengthen background checks and stand up to the industry profiting off the sale of semi-automatic weapons.”

CONDO LAWS

“I support the passage of this legislation. These inspections and sections of this legislation that preserve the data from these inspections will save lives in the future. My only disappointment is that this legislation was passed 11 months after the Surfside incident. The legislature should have acted sooner to enact this crucial legislation to prevent other tragic incidents like Surfside.”

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

Do you support or oppose any legislation that would legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use?

“I support the legalization of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Nineteen states have legalized recreational marijuana, and I would support Florida becoming the 20th. Too many lives have been destroyed and futures ruined because of possessing small amounts of marijuana. Additionally, legalizing marijuana will allow our law enforcement to focus on actual crime. Not to mention, much of the tax revenue we collect from marijuana can be funneled back into our state for needed revenue.”

LOCAL QUESTION

Rent prices continue to skyrocket, forcing many people and families out of homes. Would you support or oppose a rent-stabilization bill?

“I would support a rent-stabilization bill. There are people throughout the state, especially in Palm Beach County, whose rents have spiked upwards of 60%. This is an unsustainable trend. I understand that rent stabilizations can affect a developer’s revenue stream, which may negatively affect the number of housing units a developer is willing to develop and result in hidden/unwanted fees. However, I believe homeownership is a cornerstone of fulfilling the American dream, and the current trends are making homeownership an unachievable goal. We need to make people the center of homeownership/rent policies. Moving forward, the legislature must look hard at the affordable housing crisis plaguing our state. There needs to be a timely warning before rent is raised, and home-rule authority must be given to our local municipalities to make decisions that they see best for their residents.”

Katherine Waldron

Age and residence: Waldron, 62, lives in unincorporated West Palm Beach.

Top campaign priorities: On her campaign page, Waldron lists five key issues: environmental protection, expanding affordable housing, protecting women’s rights, strengthening the state’s infrastructure and increasing access to addiction and mental health services.

Professional history: A Port of Palm Beach commissioner since 2017, Waldron is co-founder of MK Inc. of the Palm Beaches, which focuses on economic development projects in the Caribbean.

Political background: Serving her second term as commissioner for the Port of Palm Beach.

Education: Bachelor’s in economics, University of Virginia; master’s of business administration, Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Criminal history: None.

Endorsements: Waldron lists dozens of elected officials and community leaders as endorsements. Among that group are U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, Palm Beach County Mayor Bob Weinroth, State Sen. Lori Berman, local mayors Ronnie Felder (Riviera Beach), Ty Penserga (Boynton Beach) and Betty Resch (Lake Worth Beach), as well as the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council and Ruth’s List Florida.

Finances: Waldron is the unquestioned frontrunner when it comes to raising contributions in District 93. Through July 29, Waldron received $58,454 and had loaned her own campaign another $62,000. Records show she’s spent more than $60,000, with the biggest payout of $13,700 to a Chicago-based company for mailings.

Key questions:

ABORTION

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this year banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Do you support or oppose this legislation?

“I oppose this legislation. We need to end restrictive abortion laws and allow people to have control over their bodies. These restrictive policies will increase unsafe abortions and put lives at risk. The choice should be between an individual and their doctor. The bill also makes it a felony to ‘participate’ in an abortion, which could include counseling someone to have one, as one lawsuit brought against this bill argues.

“DeSantis has already stated publicly his intention to impose even greater restrictions on abortions in the coming year. And while the Florida Supreme Court has previously ruled abortion rights are protected beyond federal law under our state’s constitutional privacy amendment, as we have seen in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, stare decisis, or legal precedent, is no longer respected.”

PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION/DON’T SAY GAY BILL

“I support repealing this law. This is a harmful law and purposely vague. Indeed, Gov. DeSantis has already suggested the parameters may apply beyond the third grade. The bill effectively undermines important LGBTQ+ support in schools and will cause schools to err on the side of caution to avoid the threat of costly lawsuits.

“Since this law was passed, school districts in some counties have banned books that touch on gender identity, ‘cautioned’ staffers about ‘LGBTQ issues’ and suggested educators remove pictures of same-sex couples and avoid wearing rainbow colors. The bill should never have been passed.”

DISNEY

Gov. DeSantis signed a bill this year to repeal a law allowing Walt Disney World to effectively self-govern its properties in Florida. Do you oppose or support repealing the law?

“I oppose repealing the law. This punitive bill would dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District on June 1, 2023. With less than 10 months to go before this date, no real details have been provided on how the services (trash collection, water, sewer, road maintenance etc.) will be replaced or how the existing bond debt (approximately $1 billion) will be handled.

“The repeal was intended to punish Disney World after it spoke out against the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and placed a moratorium on its political contributions in Florida. Using the legislative process to punish people or businesses disagreeing with policies serves only to undermine our democracy. It used to be that the Republican Party was all about free speech and small government, but here we are.”

ELECTIONS

“The 2020 election was one of the most secure elections in our history. Joe Biden clearly won both the popular and electoral votes by large margins. Claims of widespread voter fraud have been debunked by federal and state courts (at least 50 times), state governments and members of Trump’s former administration, including Trump’s former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who recently said in an interview: ‘… (M)y suspicion all the way along was that there was nothing there. It was all (expletive).’

“The Trump administration lost every lawsuit they brought to hold the election invalid. There is absolutely no truth to the claims of election fraud by Trump.”

GUN RIGHTS

“I oppose this bill. The Second Amendment, as former conservative Supreme Court Justices Scalia and Berger and many others have said, does not provide for anyone to have a gun, anytime, anywhere. Gun safety is important. As recent tragic events, including in Uvalde, Texas, and the murders of children in Parkland with an AR-15 four years ago, have shown us, we need to enforce current gun laws, close gun transfer loopholes, ban assault rifles and improve our red-flag laws.”

CONDO LAWS

“I support this bill. This law will hopefully allow us to avoid another tragedy and save lives. It will also require condo associations to have sufficient reserve funding on hand to make necessary repairs and to keep up with maintenance. Having served on condo boards myself, I am very aware of the importance of such safeguards.

“And, the law will provide greater transparency, as associations will be required to keep all safety and inspection records on hand and provide them to prospective buyers and renters.”

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

Do you support or oppose any legislation that would legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use?

“I support legislation to legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use.”

LOCAL QUESTION

Rent prices continue to skyrocket, forcing many people and families out of homes. Would you support or oppose a rent stabilization bill?

“I believe we need to have a multifaceted approach to solve rising rent prices and the lack of affordable housing. It is now at the crisis level in most areas of our county, where people can no longer afford to live as they face dramatic and sudden rent increases. Aside from looking at rent stabilization, we should also look at infill and up-zoning approaches to increase the available supply of houses to rent and to buy.”