Local Democrats LaVon Bracy Davis and RaShon Young will be joining the Florida Legislature after winning low-turnout special elections held Tuesday to fill vacant seats for state Senate District 15 and state House District 40, respectively.
Bracy Davis, a former state representative for House District 40, secured more than 80 percent of the vote in her election for the Orlando-area state Senate seat, besting her Republican opponent Willie Montague, a repeat candidate who has run for various public office posts in the past. The pair ran to fill a vacancy left behind by the late Democratic state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who passed away in February at 76 years old.
“Senator-elect Bracy Davis has already proven herself as a strong advocate for our communities in the Florida House, fighting for equity, opportunity, and justice,” Samuel Vilchez Santiago, chair of the Orange County Democratic Party, said in a statement. “In the Senate, she will continue the legacy of Sen. Geraldine Thompson, ensuring that Central Florida’s voice remains powerful in Tallahassee.”
Meanwhile, RaShon Young — a former legislative aide for Bracy Davis — won his own election Tuesday to replace his former boss in the Florida House. According to unofficial election results, Young secured nearly 75 percent of the vote, besting Republican businessman Tuan Le and write-in candidate Chris Hall (who got just 14 votes as of publication).
At 26 years old, Young will be the first Gen Z Democrat to join the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature, according to the Orange County Democrats, and one of the youngest Black Democrats elected to the Florida House.
“What an incredible night!” Young wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday night, adding that he was “truly humbled” to be chosen to represent House District 40. The district covers parts of west Orlando and Orange County, including the College Park and Pine Hills neighborhoods north of Colonial Drive, plus Rosemont, Lockhart and Ocoee.
“Tonight’s victory is not just about one candidate,” Young added in a statement. “It’s about the 180,000 people who call this district home.”
Both Democrats ran on platforms emphasizing their respective districts’ diversity, addressing affordability, anti-discrimination protections for marginalized communities, and expanding workforce development and training opportunities in the trades and clean energy. Both also support Medicaid expansion, raising teacher pay (as Florida ranks near-dead last nationwide) and protecting voter rights, including vote-by-mail access.
Voter turnout for the two special elections Tuesday hovered below 10 percent, as of publication, with 277,599 registered voters total and just 24,693 ballots cast.
The two Democrats (both filling seats vacated by Democratic lawmakers) will be joining a state Legislature dominated by Republicans, who outnumber elected Democratic officials more than two to one in each chamber. There are 160 lawmakers in the Florida Legislature, including 120 in the state House and 40 in the state Senate.
“While these districts have long been Democratic strongholds, our Democratic ecosystem — the campaigns, the legislative caucuses, and the Orange County Democratic Party — came together to use this opportunity to talk to thousands of voters,” said Vilchez Santiago. “We believe every community and every constituent deserves our attention because they matter. Period.”
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This article appears in Sept. 3-9, 2025.