Attorney Kennedy, Councilman McDow face off in Democratic congressional primary
Two Brevard County Democrats are seeking to become the next member of Congress representing the Space Coast and Treasure Coast.
Attorney Sandy Kennedy and West Melbourne City Council member Daniel McDow face off in the Aug. 20 Democratic primary.
The winner of that primary will face the winner of the Aug. 20 Republican primary for the District 8 seat involving attorney Joe Babits; lobbyist and former Florida Senate and Florida House member Mike Haridopolos; and business owner John Hearton.
The current District 8 congressman, Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, is not seeking reelection to a ninth term.
House District 8 includes all of Brevard and Indian River counties, plus part of eastern Orange County, and is a Republican-leaning district.
The position has a two-year term, and an annual salary of $174,000.
Candidates: Here's why you should vote for me
McDow said he is "the clear choice Democrat because I have a lifetime of activism. I have been a member of numerous community boards, work groups, rallies, task forces, and I am an organizer and proven leader."
"I have led rallies, I have protested," McDow said. "I waved signs for ERA, human rights, Stop Book Banning, Just Say Gay, Black Lives Matter, Support the Police and many other causes."
When McDow was elected to the West Melbourne City Council in 2020, he because the first openly gay elected official in Brevard County.
As a member of the City Council in West Melbourne, Brevard County's fourth-most-populous city, McDow said he has had a number of accomplishments. Among those he cited:
Leading the efforts to revise the city's sustainability plan, specifically, improving the city's tree ordinance and updating low-impact development standards.
Launching the first countywide composting facility.
Lobbying and voting to stop two major road extensions that would have harmed the environment and increased traffic congestion. They were extensions of Doherty Drive and Fell Road.
Advocating for septic-to-sewer conversions.
Kennedy, though, said she believes she is "much more qualified" than McDow or GOP candidate Haridopolos for the seat in Congress, citing her nearly three decades of legal experience, including her knowledge of federal laws. Her area of specialty is construction law.
"I do believe I have impressive qualifications for Congress," Kennedy said.
"Dan and I may have some of the same beliefs, as Democrats," Kennedy said. "But he does not have the repertoire of legal knowledge and experience. My breadth of issues is more extensive."
Kennedy said her legal background helped her gain "professional knowledge of constitutional law, environmental law, administrative law and federal income taxation law, as well as various law, governmental, political, and U.S. and Russian military subjects — all of which are directly relevant to serving in Congress."
Here is what they say they see as the major issues they are focusing on:
Sandy Kennedy on the issues
Kennedy said one of her big issues is clean water, in our environment and to drink.
"In District 8, all parties support clean water," Kennedy said.
Her specific platforms include:
Resist attempts by "Big Oil" for fracking or drilling off coast of Florida or anywhere in Florida.
Propose clean drinking water legislation.
Update environmental laws as needed.
Have an investigation into preventable causes of Indian River Lagoon damage. One often discussed is the current design of Port Canaveral, with the possibility of modifying it to restore a more free-flowing exchange of water.
Kennedy said affordability and housing are other major issues.
"We have people, even veterans, sleeping in the brush," Kennedy said. "Young people cannot afford to rent apartments. Housing sales are dampened because of affordability issues and things like property insurance."
She said she would push legislation to discourage turning residential properties into vacation rentals.
"We really cannot allow our homes to become vacation rentals for wealthy foreign tourists, while our citizens go on government aid for housing," Kennedy said.
Kennedy also wants to "limit the property insurance requirement for mortgages" and "assure that rates areequitable nationwide, according to risk and home value."
"We cannot let people get foreclosed on merely because they cannot afford property insurance for their lenders," Kennedy said.
Kennedy says another one of her major campaign issues is fair elections and voting rights. That includes legislation to restore felons’ voting rights after they served their sentences or to allow voting while incarcerated; uniform voting laws; and campaign finance fairness laws.
She also lists among her issues as criminal-justice reforms; reproductive rights; racial and gender justice; LGBTQ+ rights; gun safety; climate change; and immigration and border reforms.
Daniel McDow on the issues
McDow cites as top issues in his platform being pro-choice on abortion; affordability in housing and insurance; enacting sensible gun laws; and protecting the environment.
He said he would push legislation in Congress to ensure that the abortion-rights protections contained in the now-overturned U.S. Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade are enshrined in a federal law, and not left to the states.
McDow said he "trusts women to make their own decisions concerning their bodies and their health, and wants to preserve a woman's right to choose, once and for all."
On other issues, McDow said he "will work tirelessly to repair the local economy and make life affordable again."
He said that will include "working diligently to lower insurance costs; save Social Security; improve access to health care; and work to fix the Live Local Act to provide affordable housing."
"Face it. The cost of living in Florida is too high," McDow said, adding that he "will work to make living more affordable on all levels: housing, property insurance, rent, child care and food prices. And, of course, a key part of affordability is universal health care," which McDow said he "will fight to make a reality."
McDow said he also is committed to preserving Medicare and Medicaid.
McDow said he wants to "enact gun laws that make sense and keep our kids safe in schools; improve background checks; freeze domestic sales of assault weapons; and improving the storage and handling of guns."
He said he also will "continue fighting to save our environment by supporting policies to have clean air and water, and address climate change impacts on our communities."
Campaign financing
According to most recent filings to the Federal Elections Commission:
Kennedy: Raised $15,712.05; spent $12,143.26; with $3,568.79 cash on hand. Money raised includes $13,008.05 in loans to the campaign from the candidate.
McDow: Raised $59,813.33; spent $53,131.79; with $6,681.54 cash on hand. Money raised includes $8,456.70 in loans to the campaign from the candidate.
Endorsements
Kennedy: Florida Democratic Environmental Caucus; Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus.
McDow: Florida Democratic Environmental Caucus; Democratic Public Education Caucus of Florida; Brevard County Democratic Black Caucus; Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus; Space Coast LGBTA Caucus; Brevard Federation of Teachers; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 606; Florida State Council of Machinists; Florida Puerto Rican Hispanic Minority Empowerment Committee.
Sandy Kennedy
Hometown: Lives in unincorporated Brevard, less than one mile north of Cocoa city limits.
Age: 60
Occupation: Attorney for almost 30 years. Before law school, she worked for C.G. Chase Construction Co. in Miami for about two years.
Education: Juris Doctor law degree, University of Miami, 1994; Bachelor of Arts, political science, Florida State University, 1989
Political/government/civic experience: No elected office experience. Community involvement in pro-bono legal work for various parties.
Campaign email: [email protected]
Campaign phone number: 321-479-7290
Website or Facebook page:
Website: sandykennedyforcongress.com
Facebook: Sandy Kennedy for Congress
Daniel McDow
Hometown: West Melbourne
Age: 65
Occupation: Retired health-care executive.
Education: Master of Science in sustainability management, from the Lincoln International Business School at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, through online coursework.
Political/government/civic experience: West Melbourne City Council member since 2020.
Former Brevard Democratic Party treasurer, fundraising chair, steering committee; president of LGBTA Democratic Caucus; secretary of Beachside Dems; member of North Brevard Dems, Indian River Dems, Indian River Democratic Women's Club, Black Caucus, Environmental Democratic Caucus.
Board member of the Human Rights Coalition of Brevard, Space Coast Pride and Space Coast Progressive Alliance; ambassador for Puerto Rican Festival and Parade, and for Children's Home Society; member of American Civil Liberties Union. Pushback Coalition, NAACP, League of Women Voters, Sierra Club, and several local chambers of commerce. One of the original founders of Awake Brevard. Guardian for the Space Coast and Indian River Honor Flight.
Campaign email: [email protected]
Campaign phone number: 321-890-2238
Website or Facebook page:
Website: danmcdow.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanielRMcDow/
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at [email protected], on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Kennedy, McDow seek voter support in Democratic congressional primary
