Ex-Marine to run for House seat

SPRING HILL -- Bruce Donovan, a retired officer U.S. Marines officer, has become the second Democrat to challenge incumbent state Rep. David Russell for the House District 44 seat.

Donovan, 48, said the deterioration of the state's education system brought him into the race.

"I looked at the way Florida is ranking across the nation; I know we can do better. There's no reason we should not be doing better," said Donovan, who works as an internal auditor for Quality Distribution Inc., a Tampa trucking company.

He retired as a major in 1999 after 18 years in the Marines and an earlier three-year tour in the Army. His interest in education stems partly from his wife, Rebecca Cianci, who teaches at Parrot Middle School.

He said real spending per student on education has stagnated in recent years under Republican leadership in the Legislature and under Gov. Jeb Bush. Florida teachers are paid far below the national average, he said, and too many students are trying to learn in portable classrooms.

Donovan's other main concern as a legislator, he said, would be improving services for the many elderly residents in the district, which includes most of Hernando County and parts of Lake, Polk, Pasco and Sumter.

The state needs to control the costs of both prescription drugs and nursing home care, he said.

"We can make those homes more affordable for our seniors," he said.

Donovan, who has lived in the county for two years, was a registered Republican until he switched parties about a year ago.

He left the Republican party because "at the time, (he didn't agree) with the direction the national party was going in," he said.

He said he does not think Russell has done enough to improve education and care for the elderly.

Donovan's bid has nothing to do with Greg Williams, the other Democratic challenger.

"I don't know a lot about Mr. Williams," he said.

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