TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A special primary election to fill the seat of the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings is set for Nov. 2, with a deciding general election set for Jan. 11.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made the announcement Tuesday.
Hastings died April 6 after announcing two years ago that he had pancreatic cancer.
At least seven Democrats and one Republican have said they will seek to fill the vacancy in the heavily Democratic district, which encompasses much of the Black communities in the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach areas.
With a slim majority in Congress, there was some urgency among Democrats to fill the vacancy left by Hastings’ death.