Voters re-elected a well-known Republican state representative instead of changing directions and electing a Democratic challenger who was seeking that seat for the second time.
Ellyn Bogdanoff won easy victory against challenger Chris Chiari, with 58 percent of the vote, 33,160 to 23,508, and will retain her seat in the state House of Representatives, representing a district containing a portion of Broward County, one of Florida's most Democratic.
Bogdanoff, 48, faced a tough race against the 34-year-old Chiari, who nearly unseated her in the 2006 election. She declared victory only two hours after returns started coming in at 7 p.m.
"It's very clear at this point who has won," she said at a victory party at Riley McDermott's on Las Olas Boulevard. "You present yourself to the people as best you can and they've clearly given me another chance to represent them."
Bogdanoff's supporters, though were not as confident earlier in the day.
"It's going to be tough, if not tougher than the last one," said campaign manager Todd Richardson said Tuesday afternoon.
Bogdanoff, a lawyer, is a former shareholder in Setnor, Byer, Bogdanoff, an insurance broker. Chiari is the president of American Millennium Investment Corp., a business consulting company.
Chiari attacked Bogdanoff for her support of teaching intelligent design in schools, her support of the pro-life movement and her support of legislation that would weaken laws requiring government to make all its actions public.
Having run against Chiari once before, Bogdanoff used a different approach this time around.
Though she is a Republican, her advertisements were absent of any Republican association except the required fine print at the bottom of the advertisement in an attempt to maintain a bipartisan appearance. Her opponent however made every effort to point out her Republican history.
Both candidates campaigned until the very end, putting sign-waving supporters on the street corners the weekend before the election urging South Floridians to vote their way.
Bogdanoff campaign members were at the intersection of Federal Highway and Broward Boulevard waving signs for support even on Election Day.
With a significant difference in monetary contributions, Chiari was the monetary underdog in the race with only $57,658 raised compared to Bogdanoff's $407,165.
Mikiala C. Tennie
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