Democratic candidates Stanley Campbell, Rod Joseph, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, and Brian Rush will compete to be their party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Rick Scott in a closed primary election on August 20. The winner will face a Republican, a Libertarian, two No Party Affiliation candidates, and a write-in in the general election in November.
In This Post
Below, you will find the following information to help you learn more about the candidates:
- Bios and key issues
- Websites and social media
- Endorsements
- In the news
- Campaign finances
Read my research about the Republican Party candidates here.
Stanley Campbell
Stanley Campbell is a native Floridian, military veteran, and tech entrepreneur raised in the Liberty City area of Miami. His Jamaican father was a lifelong advocate for public schools and a union worker; his Bahamian mother was a hairdresser and community organizer. He attended Miami-Dade public schools and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in 1976.
Campbell served in the U.S. Navy from 1976 to 1982 as a pilot and test pilot, worked at the Defense Intelligence Agency, and contributed to the TSA’s Passenger Screening and Security initiative. His dedication to leveraging innovative technologies for enhancing and safeguarding lives is evidenced by his 14 patents in Artificial Intelligence.
Today, he is the Chairman and CEO of EagleForce Associates, Inc., a global advanced technology development firm, and one of the few Black golf course owners in the country.
He and his wife Cheryl live in Palm City, FL, and have three adult sons.
Key Issues
According to Campbell’s website, the key issues of our time are protecting Florida’s Medicare, advocating for women’s rights, championing veterans benefits and uninterrupted military pay, and bolstering small businesses to ensure jobs and affordable housing.
In the News
- Stanley Campbell relishes Rick Scott slam while celebrating National Night Out, Florida Politics, 8/7/24
- Senate candidate calls out ‘insensitivity, favoritism’ by Florida Democratic Party, West Orlando News, 5/11/24
- Democratic Senate candidate speaks out on FDP’s disconnect with African Americans, West Orlando News, 4/7/24
- Stanley Campbell, from rockets to fairways, to U.S. Senate contender, African American Golfer’s Digest, 12/6/23
- Before running for Senate, Stanley Campbell’s pregnant ex-wife accused him of battery, Florida Politics, 11/13/23
Endorsements
Campbell has been endorsed by the Florida AFL-CIO, the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida, the International Union of Police Association Local 6020, the Broward Deputy Sheriffs Association, and over 50 former and current elected officials. (Ballotpedia)
Websites and Social Media
Rod Joseph
Rod Joseph is a Ph.D. student in International Security Studies at the University of Central Florida, a former candidate for the Florida House, political consultant, diplomat/historian, and combat veteran.
Born in Haiti, he migrated to the U.S. as a child. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Forensics and Master’s degrees in Military Studies, History of War, and Diplomacy and Military Studies.
He is a U.S. Army veteran who served as a Logistics Officer, Paralegal NCO, and Purple Heart recipient.
Key Issues
According to his website, Joseph’s key issues are healthcare access, economic equality, and immigration reform.
In the News
- Rodenay Joseph announces his candidacy for U.S. Senate and his campaign motto is “You Matter”, Press Release, 7/14/23
Endorsements
Joseph’s endorsements include the Florida Democratic League and several community leaders.
Websites and Social Media
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, 53, came to the U.S. from South America at a young age with her mother and sisters, “fleeing violence and searching for a better life.” She lost her father to gun violence when she was 24 and has been a lifelong advocate for reducing crime and keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Pitzer College and a Master of Arts in international political economy from Claremont Graduate University, both in California.
Mucarsel-Powell worked for non-profits before embarking on a career as an academic administrator. She was the development director at Florida International University (FIU) from 2003 to 2007, then held top roles at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, including associate dean.
In 2018, she became the first South American-born immigrant to serve in the U.S. Congress. She represented Florida’s 26th Congressional District (southern Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys) for one term but was defeated for reelection in 2020, one of 15 seats flipped to Republican that year. After losing reelection, she had a consulting firm where she advised Roseman University of Health Sciences on how to set up a medical school.
She and her husband, Robert Powell, have three children.
Key Issues
According to her website, Mucarsel-Powell’s key issues are reducing high costs and inflation, protecting social security and Medicare, reducing costs and the price of medication, protecting clean water and our environment, keeping our communities and kids safe, putting national security & democracy first, and protecting women’s rights to healthcare and abortion.
For how Mucarsell-Powell is rated on issues by various interest groups, see VoteSmart’s Ratings & Endorsements.
In the News
- Exclusive: Rick Scott challenger launches radio ad blitz to reach Latino voters, Axios Tampa Bay, 8/7/24
- IVF wars continue in race between Rick Scott, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida Politics, 7/25/24
- Florida Democratic senate candidate sees VP Harris buzz impact, News Channel 8 wfla.com, 7/24/24
- Abortion discussed as Debbie Mucarsel-Powell campaigns for US Senate in Tallahassee, Tallahassee Democrat, 7/9/24
- Debbie who? Poll reveals Democrat facing FL Sen. Rick Scott is starting with a big hurdle., USA Today, 4/14/24
- Attack lines form in the Florida Senate race, Politico, 2/23/24
- Can this Miami Latina prove that Florida isn’t out of reach for Democrats?, 19thnews.org, 12/19/23
Endorsements
Mucarel-Powell is endorsed by several elected officials and advocacy organizations, including Congresswomen Val Demings, Kathy Castor, and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz; State Senators Shevrin Jones, Jason Pizzo, and Tina Polsky; Brady PAC, Emily’s List, Giffords Courage to Fight Gun Violence, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, SEIU Florida, and many more.
Websites and Social Media
Brian Rush
Brian Rush, 66, was born and raised in St. Petersburg, FL. He attended the University of Florida, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1980 and a law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1982.
In 1986 at age 28, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He represented Northwest Tampa and Northern Pinellas County for eight years. In the Legislature, he was recognized for protecting air and water quality when he served on the House Environmental Regulation Committee and chaired the Water Resources Subcommittee.
He also championed public schools and authored the original public school Class Size Reduction Act, which was later passed into law and adopted by the Florida voters into the Florida Constitution in 1996.
Rush practiced law in north Tampa for over 30 years, defending small businesses and Floridians’ First Amendment Rights. But, according to Wikipedia, “In 2022, Rush was accused of wrongdoing in a 2018 eminent domain case. The Florida Bar alleged that Rush worked against the interests of his client in order to enrich himself, recommending a three-year suspension of Rush’s law license. Rush denied wrongdoing and challenged the decision in court. The Florida Supreme Court ruled against him in 2023, upholding the three-year suspension. On July 27, 2023, Rush resigned his license to practice law, informing the state Bar that he had closed his law practice.”
In 2022, he ran for U.S. Senate, finishing a distant second to Val Demings in the Democratic primary.
Key Issues
Rush shares his ideas on homeowners insurance, economy & inflation, reproductive rights, reducing gun violence, Florida’s environment, social security, Medicare and veterans benefits, and tax reform on his website.
In the News
- Why does Brian Rush think he can knock off Rick Scott for one of Florida’s Senate seats?, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, 4/15/24
- Brian Rush (Democrat for Senate): The Interview, cbs12.com, 8/18/22
Endorsements
A Google search turned up no endorsements.
Websites and Social Media
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook
- Campaign Twitter
- Campaign Instagram
- Campaign YouTube
- Personal Facebook
Campaign Finance
Here is a summary of the candidates’ filings to date:
Next Steps
If you are a registered Florida Democrat, it’s time to decide which of the four candidates to vote for.
If you missed it, please read my post, Planning Ahead, to learn which additional ballot questions I will research in the coming weeks.