The contours of the Orange-Osceola state attorney race have shifted, with Republican candidate Seth Hyman withdrawing from the November election, setting the stage for a two-person contest. Hyman's departure was formalized through a letter to the Florida Division of Elections, requesting his name be stricken from the ballot, as reported by ClickOrlando. This decision leaves incumbent State Attorney Andrew Bain, who is running as an independent, and Monique Worrell, who is running as a Democrat, to vie for the position.
Hyman's exit comes on the heels of a victory in the Republican primary. Despite his win, he cited concerns over the financial hurdles needed to secure a general election victory and the potential to fragment the vote opposing Worrell, "I am a practical and pragmatic person, and I know that to win a general election of this size, it takes a considerable amount of financial resources," Hyman said in a statement, per ClickOrlando. He continued, "I do not want the anti-Worrell vote to be split, and I am willing to make this major sacrifice to further that purpose." Accordingly, Hyman has thrown his support behind Bain.
Worrell, the Democratic candidate, held the state attorney position until she was ousted by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, an action she has challenged in court. Now seeking re-election, DeSantis appointed Andrew Bain as Worrell's replacement. As reported by FOX 35, with Hyman out of the race, the two remaining candidates represent a clear choice for voters: a DeSantis appointee in Bain and the Democrat Worrell aiming for a return to her former role.
Feedback from the Orange County supervisor of elections office indicates that, due to the certification of the primary results, an alternate Republican nominee cannot be fielded in place of Hyman. The two-way race is now firmly set, with strategic endorsements and funding likely to play pivotal roles in the campaigns moving forward. Bain, registered as a no-party-affiliate voter, is the only barrier to Worrell reclaiming her post amid the political and prosecutorial philosophies that starkly demarcate the candidates.
