Good wins House District 72 Democratic primary

Garnering more than 72% of total votes cast, Sarasota attorney Margaret Good topped businesswoman Ruta Jouniari in the Florida House of Representatives District 72 Democratic primary Tuesday night. Good will face Republican James Buchanan and Libertarian Alison Foxall in the special election Feb. 13. 

"This is just the beginning," Good told supporters in Sarasota shortly after polls closed and early election totals showed her with an insurmountable lead. "We have to do it all again times 10."

Good garnered 6,444 votes of 8,494 cast compared to 2,342 for Jouniari.

Ahead of the election, Good said expanding Medicaid would be her biggest priority in Tallahassee. The Florida House, which currently has 76 Republicans and 40 Democrats, has voted against Medicaid expansion. 

Running in her first political campaign, Good also stressed environmental protections, public school improvements and strengthening the economy on her way to securing the Democratic nomination.

"We want to make a change in Tallahassee," Good said. "We want to do whats good for our families."

An attorney with Sarasota-based firm Matthews Eastmoore, Good is also a member of the board of directors for the Sarasota County Bar Association. She is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she served as an editor of the Florida Law Review.

The 72nd District, which covers Siesta Key as well as parts of Sarasota and Sarasota County, has leaned Republican in recent elections. Former Rep. Alex Miller, a Republican, resigned earlier this year, saying in a statement she wanted to spend more time with her family and in her role as CEO of Mercedes Medical.