Voters in Seminole and southern Volusia counties will send a new member to the U.S. House this fall. Rep. Cory Mills lost the Republican primary in August, leaving Florida's 7th Congressional District, which takes in all of Seminole County including Winter Springs, without an incumbent on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Roughly 25,000 voters in the two counties had already requested, completed and returned mail ballots that include the race, WESH 2 News reported Thursday.
Who is running
Bale Dalton, Democrat. Dalton flew Navy helicopters for 24 years, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and his latest job was chief of staff at NASA for Administrator Bill Nelson, whom he had also worked for when Nelson was a senator, according to WESH. His TV ad opens with him saying he is running "to end three wars." In his primary debate, he said he was running because "life is too difficult for us here in Florida."
Ryan Elijah, Republican. Elijah used to work as a TV news broadcaster. He told WESH in July that he puts "conservative" on his campaign signs because that is how he identifies, and that he supports the president's agenda.
Christopher Dennison, Libertarian Party of Florida. In a studio interview with WESH, Dennison described his platform as cutting taxes and keeping government out of people's lives, and said he wants "to throw a wrench into the machine."
The ads
The two major-party candidates are attacking each other on the air. Elijah's spot says Dalton "sides with Democrats who oppose tax cuts on tips, overtime and seniors." Dalton's ad says Elijah "supports tariff taxes and the Iran War."
Both campaigns turned down WESH's invitation to a general-election debate. Each did debate primary opponents, and WESH has posted those debates online.
WESH also reported that Mills faces an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation.
