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Letter to the editor

One Democrat left in House District 51 race

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published June 1, 2005

SEMINOLE - The Democratic field for the state House District 51 seat is in flux.

One woman has made her candidacy official.

A man who had officially signed up to run has decided to withdraw.

That leaves Janet C. Long as the sole Democrat - thus far - running for the seat held by Republican Leslie Waters. Term limits will require her to leave office next year in the district that includes parts of Seminole, Pinellas Park, Largo, South Pasadena and west Lealman. Long is a longtime member of the Seminole City Council.

Withdrawing was John Sinibaldi, the owner of a Seminole insurance agency specializing in employee benefits for small businesses. Sinibaldi had filed candidate's papers with the Florida Division of Elections on March 10.

Sinibaldi cited the stress on his family as his reason for deciding not to run.

His family, he said, would be with him "100 percent" regardless of his decision. "I'm not sure I want to put my family through what it takes to run for office," he said. "(I'm) not ready to go through the pressure cooker it would take to be involved in the campaign."

Long declined to comment about Sinibaldi's decision, but she predicted: "I don't think that means I'm going to be the only Democrat. That would be too lovely."

If elected, Long promised to bring authentic leadership, fairness and courtesy back to the Florida Legislature. She said she believes her "strong-willed, practical, open-minded approach to problem-solving will transcend the anger and partisan campaign rhetoric."

She added, "Government exists to help people who cannot help themselves, such as small children and the elderly, and is there to provide the infrastructure that makes up our society."

In addition to serving on the Seminole council, Long, 60, has served as a legislative aide, secretary to the Pinellas Legislative Delegation and deputy insurance commissioner. She also has worked for the city of Seminole as an administrator to the mayor.

Waters, a Republican, has held the seat since 1998.

Republicans Dottie Reeder, Seminole's mayor, and Bruce Cotton, Waters' legislative aide, have expressed interest in running for the seat.

[Last modified June 1, 2005, 00:38:18]