Hernando County Commissioner Steve Champion announced on May 12 that he will not run for Congress in the newly drawn 15th District, citing a desire to avoid a contentious primary fight with incumbent Rep. Laurel Lee. Champion had thrown his hat into the ring at the end of April, but after Lee announced her candidacy, he decided to bow out.
Champion shared his decision on Facebook, stating he was “honored and humbled by the overwhelming support” he had received in the past two weeks. However, he emphasized that “our Republican majority is too important to jeopardize in any way,” and he would not run against Lee. He voiced his support for Lee and pledged to help her “understand her new counties.” The 15th District now stretches from Tampa all the way to Citrus County, after the legislature’s redistricting last month. Hernando County moved from the 12th District, represented by 10-term incumbent Rep. Gus Bilirakis, to the 15th District.
Lee carried the old 15th District in 2022 and 2024 by a 17% and 13% margin, respectively. No GOP challengers have filed to run against Lee, but she has four Democratic challengers vying for nomination in the August primary. Champion’s decision ends his bid for Congress, at least for now.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
