Rebekah Jones files appeal in disqualification from Democratic primary

Jim Little, Pensacola News Journal
·2 min read

Rebekah Jones is appealing her disqualification from the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District.

Leon County Circuit Court Judge John Cooper disqualified Jones in the race after a hearing Friday, ruling Jones had not been a registered member of the Democratic Party for a full year as required under Florida law.

Jones filed her notice of appeal with the First District Court of Appeal late Monday night, according to Leon County court records.

The filing was a notice to the court starting the appeals process but contained no legal arguments.

Rebekah Jones
Rebekah Jones

Jones was sued by her Democratic opponent for the nomination, Peggy Schiller, and an Escambia County voter seeking her disqualification.

Voter records from the state of Maryland showed that Jones' voter registration was changed to switch her party affiliation from Democratic to unaffiliated in June 2021, the same month that Jones announced she intended to move back to Florida and run against Rep. Matt Gaetz as an independent.

Disqualified: Judge disqualifies Rebekah Jones from running as Democrat in Aug. 23 primary

Jones' party registration was changed back to Democratic in Maryland on Aug. 11, a day before Jones' campaign changed its Federal Election Commission documents from independent to the Democratic Party.

Jones maintains she did not file the documents in Maryland changing her party status.

Cooper's order disqualifying Jones has already gone into effect. Jones is listed as a disqualified candidate on the Florida Department of State's website. Jones' name will still appear on the ballot, as they had already been printed and sent out to absentee voters, however, election officials are under a court order not to count votes for Jones. Notices will also be put up at polling places informing voters that Jones has been disqualified.

Rebekah Jones speaks Feb. 10 as a crowd protests higher power bills in front of City Hall before a Pensacola City Council meeting.
Rebekah Jones speaks Feb. 10 as a crowd protests higher power bills in front of City Hall before a Pensacola City Council meeting.

Jones' attorneys will likely ask the First District Court of Appeal to stay Cooper's ruling while the case is appealed. Cooper had already denied a similar request made of him on Friday and told Jones attorneys he would need to take that up with the appeals court.

Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Rebekah Jones files appeal in disqualification from Democratic primary