Race Analysis: Florida House District 72

District 72 is a largely rural area that includes the majority of land mass in Manatee County and some of rural Sarasota County, though none of the densely populated urban centers (see map at right).

Dameus is originally from Haiti, where heserved as a secretary for the Global Initiative for Health and Development in the country. He has been heavily involved with the non-profit Stand Up for Haiti since immigrating to the United States in 2015 and works as a handyman specializing in HVAC work.

Gregoryserved in the Air Force for 20 years, mostly as a prosecutor in the JAG Corps. He achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring in 2014. After leaving the military, Gregory spent 10 months doing missionary work in the Dominican Republic. Since moving to the area, he has served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, St. Martha Catholic School, and the Sarasota Republican Club.

After redistricting put him out of what was then District 73, Gregory and his family relocated so that he could attempt to retain a seat in the newly-drawn District 72. First elected in 2018, this is Gregory's second bid at reelection.

Legislatively, Gregory has focused much of his attention on infrastructure issues. Otherwise, he has been in lock-step with the far-right conservative wing that has dominated Florida Republican politics in recent years. Gregory has voted with the party on every notable piece of controversial legislation, including the so-called Don't Say Gay bill, Governor DeSantis' proposed "election reforms," SB 1078, a particularly egregious bill that vastly restricts who can serve on soil and water conservation district boards, along with the anti-rooftop solar bill and theLocal Business Protection Act–two Republican driven bills that were so bad Governor Ron DeSantis actually vetoed them.

Dameus says, if elected, he would focus on reducing state gas taxes, gun reform and affordable housing, among other issues largely targeted at lower-income, working-class Floridians. Dameus has essentially raised no money, however, and is facing an extremely well-financed incumbent in a solidly red district, which means that it would be an enormous understatement to say that he faces a steep challenge.