Florida Congressmen Sitting Pretty for 2014 Primary Fights

Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Jean Enright filed her paperwork this week as she looks to pull off one of the rarest feats in politics by knocking an incumbent congressman off in the primary.

Defeating a congressional incumbent in a primary is tough but not impossible. Just ask Ted Yoho who came out of nowhere to defeat Cliff Stearns, who had been in Congress for 24 years, in last August’s Republican primary. But everything fell into place for Yoho as two other officeholders also looked to defeat the incumbent and large sections of the North Central Florida district had never been represented by Stearns before.

Enright should have a tougher time in 2014 as she looks to defeat U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla. Hastings has a proven record of defeating primary challengers, beating back attempts from former Belle Glade Mayor Ray Torres Sanchez in 2008 and Keith Clayborne in 2004. While she might have been elected three times to the Port of Palm Beach Commission and had years of community involvement, Enright is a major underdog to defeat Hastings who continues to have the support of the Democratic leadership.