By Rich Pollack
In a hotly contested race for Florida House District 91, which encompasses all of Highland Beach and Boca Raton as well as unincorporated areas west of the city, incumbent Peggy Gossett-Seidman was able to hold on to her seat, derailing the heavily funded efforts of political newcomer Jay Shooster to serve in Tallahassee.
Republican Gossett-Seidman, who narrowly won the seat two years ago as part of a red wave that swept the county, secured almost 55% of the more than 95,000 votes cast this time in the Nov. 5 election while Shooster, an attorney, received 45%.
Gossett-Seidman attributed her victory to her success in the Capitol during the last two years and to “hard work and knocking on doors.”
“I think voters understood that I was working for them to fulfill the needs of the community,” she said. “Our success was also greatly due to the wide swath of friends and colleagues who know me from having lived here so long.”
Shooster, 34, who lives west of Boca Raton, far outspent Gossett-Seidman, 71, a former Highland Beach town commissioner who worked as a sportswriter and publicist. Shooster raised almost $1.1 million and spent about $953,000, whereas Gossett-Seidman raised just over $338,000 and spent $232,000.
House District 91, once a Democratic stronghold, shifted to the right in 2022 following redistricting that added more conservative-leaning coastal neighborhoods. Democrats, who hoped to take back the seat, make up about 32% of the registered voters in the district, while Republicans account for 35%.
Gossett-Seidman said that once she returns to Tallahassee her focus will be on finishing work on the safe waterways act and on addressing condo recertification and HOA issues. At the same time she plans to address overall homeowner’s insurance issues.
During her campaign Gossett-Seidman touted her success in bringing $10.3 million in state appropriations back to Boca Raton and Highland Beach.
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