Democrat steps up to challenge Rep. Holder

By Jeremy Wallace
Herald-Tribune Political Writer

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Democrats in the area hope their recent successes can lead them to more seats in the Legislature. The party took another step toward that goal Wednesday when Siesta Key Democrat Sam Rosenfeld said he would challenge Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, this November.

With Rosenfeld, Democrats now have candidates in six of the seven legislative districts that include the bulk of Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Democrats in the area have not been able to field that many candidates for the Florida House in any of the past four election cycles.

Rosenfeld, a retiree originally from Pittsburgh, said his experience running his own dental practice for 25 years gives him a small-businessman's perspective that is needed in Tallahassee.

"I know what it's like to make payroll, balance the books and pay medical insurance on employees," Rosenfeld said.

Rosenfeld, 51, said he is also determined to protect school funding. He said schools must get enough money to assure potential businesses that Florida has a capable workforce.

He considers himself socially liberal. But Rosenfeld said his business background and nonpartisan nature would help him succeed in Tallahassee, where Republicans hold nearly a 2-to-1 advantage.

Rosenfeld hopes to build on the 2006 election, when Democrat David Shapiro came within 750 votes of beating Holder in District 70, which runs from Clark Road in Sarasota south to include all of Venice. Of the 105,000 registered voters in District 70, about 50 percent are registered Republicans and 28 percent are Democrats. The remaining 22 percent are either not registered with any party or with minor political parties.

Holder said that because of how close his last election was, he expected a challenge. He said he expects property taxes and homeowners insurance will be the key issues.

The winner of the election will get a two-year term that pays about $31,000 a year.

Though the three-county region has historically favored Republicans, Democrats in the past two years have made gains. In that time, Democrats have won the majority of seats on the Sarasota City Commission and Venice City Council, Democrat Keith Fitzgerald won state House District 69 in northern Sarasota, and Democrat Christine Jennings carried Sarasota in her unsuccessful bid for Congress.