Two more Republicans join race for eastern Polk County seat in Florida House

The race to succeed a term-limited legislator in Florida House District 48 has gained two more contenders while losing one.

Florida Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, is prevented from seeking reelection next year. Two candidates recently filed to run in his district, bringing the total to six – all of them Republicans.

Which district?

House District 48 was reconfigured last year and covers most of eastern Polk County south of Haines City, including Winter Haven, Lake Wales and Frostproof.

Who is in, out?

Deborah Owens of Winter Haven and Benny Valentin of Poinciana are the latest entrants to the race. They join Jerry Carter and Chad Davis, both of Winter Haven, Kenny Hartpence of Auburndale and Amilee Stuckey of Lake Wales.

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Lynn Wilson, a former Polk County School Board member, submitted a letter to the Florida Division of Elections withdrawing his candidacy. Wilson, who served on the School Board from 2014 to 2022. He had filed to run in March.

Retired pilot on runway

Owens, 63, is a graduate of Winter Haven High School and a retired commercial airline captain. She said she spent most of her career with Delta Airlines.

Owens said she has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Newberry College in South Carolina. This is her first run for any elected office.

“I love my country, I believe in the Constitution and I’m a Christian,” Owens said in explaining her decision to run. “I see a lot of things that trouble me. I think there’s a lot of us that are concerned. In my job, I was paid to do the right thing every day, all day. And that mentality does not change.”

Owens described herself as a “Constitutional conservative.” She said she is affiliated with the America First Policy Institute, a group founded in 2021 to promote the agenda of former President Donald Trump, and the Republican Liberty Caucus, which calls for limited government powers and minimal taxation.

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Returning to campaign path

Valentin, 48, said he is a clinical psychologist, entrepreneur, adjunct professor and a chaplain with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. He ran unsuccessfully for the Florida House in 2016 and 2020.

Valentin said he initially became interested in politics out of concerns over what he considers unfair practices by large homeowners’ associations in the Poinciana area.

“I think I have a strong voice, and I do have a lot of experiences in leadership and management,” Valentin said. “And I think there's a lot that I can continue to contribute to my community, because I work in the community with a lot of churches and nonprofits.”

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Two Republicans join field for Fla. House district covering east Polk