Herrmann defeats Alvarez in District 69 with 52% of vote

Democrat Ashley Herrmann unseated Republican incumbent Danny Alvarez in Florida House District 69 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, flipping a seat that covers southeastern Hillsborough County, including the Apollo Beach and Ruskin area.

With all precincts reporting, Herrmann won just under 52% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, as Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reported.

Unofficial results with all precincts reporting, per the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. Exact vote totals were not available at publication.

Herrmann, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is the first socialist elected to the Florida state legislature in more than a century, according to the Tampa DSA chapter, as first reported by WFLA. She is the second DSA-affiliated candidate to hold office in Florida, after Richie Floyd was elected to the St. Petersburg City Council in 2021.

Alvarez was elected to the District 69 seat in 2022.

The race drew attention because the district, while it leans Republican, had been described as closer to "purple" than "red," WFLA reported in a September profile of the race. The district is seeing rapid growth in new businesses and housing.

Political analyst Tara Newsom said changing demographics put the district in play for Democrats, as people priced out of Tampa are moving to areas outside the city, WFLA reported. Republican strategist Jake Hoffman said the DSA platform's focus on affordability resonated during this election cycle, especially with younger voters.

Herrmann, described by Creative Loafing as a community organizer and the first in her family to go to college, campaigned on opposition to data centers and on making developers pay their fair share. She was the only Florida candidate endorsed by the national DSA organization.

Creative Loafing reported that Herrmann criticized Alvarez over his votes on bills like HB 399, which limits what local governments such as Hillsborough County can charge developers to review projects. She pointed to about $233,000 in contributions from builders and the construction industry to Alvarez's campaign and political committee. Alvarez said on the same program that candidates don't necessarily know who is putting money into political action committees supporting their campaigns.

In a September WFLA interview, Herrmann said she planned to fight for higher teacher pay, insurance reform and to address healthcare concerns in Tallahassee. Alvarez, at the time, said he hoped to build on public safety legislation, insurance accountability and conservation efforts.

The results remain unofficial pending certification by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.