- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Lakeland Democrat challenges Rep. Jennifer Canady for Florida House
Ricky Santiago files to run against the Republican incumbent in District 50.
Apr. 5, 2026 at 10:15am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
As the race for a key Florida House seat heats up, the state capitol building stands as a silent witness to the political drama unfolding.Lakeland TodayRicky Santiago, a 54-year-old Democrat from Lakeland, has filed paperwork to run for the Florida House of Representatives in District 50, which is currently held by Republican Rep. Jennifer Canady, who is in her second term. Canady has been picked by Republicans as the presumptive House Speaker for 2028-2029.
Why it matters
This race will be a key battleground in the upcoming Florida state elections, as the Democratic challenger seeks to unseat the Republican incumbent in a district that has historically leaned conservative. The outcome could impact the balance of power in the state legislature.
The details
Santiago, who was born in 'one of the humblest barrios', is running as a Democrat against the Republican incumbent Canady. Canady is currently serving her second term and has been selected by the GOP as the presumptive House Speaker for the 2028-2029 legislative session.
- Ricky Santiago filed paperwork to run for the Florida House District 50 seat on April 5, 2026.
The players
Ricky Santiago
A 54-year-old Democrat from Lakeland who has filed to run for the Florida House District 50 seat.
Rep. Jennifer Canady
The Republican incumbent who is currently serving her second term in the Florida House District 50 and has been selected by the GOP as the presumptive House Speaker for 2028-2029.
The takeaway
This race will be a closely watched contest as the Democratic challenger seeks to unseat the Republican incumbent in a district that has historically favored conservatives. The outcome could have significant implications for the balance of power in the Florida state legislature.
