[ad_1]
April Freeman, the Democratic candidate in Florida's 17th congressional district, died unexpectedly Sunday, her husband announced on Facebook.
"It is with great sadness that I need to inform you that my beloved April passed away suddenly last night," wrote David Freeman on the social media site on Monday. "To all his family and friends here on Facebook, my heart is with you."
Later, he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that his 54-year-old wife had apparently suffered a heart attack. "That's all I know right now," he told the newspaper.
April Freeman, a film producer and a graduate of the Women's Campaign School at Yale, was standing up against the Republican state, Senator Greg Steube, for the seat of US Republican Representative Tom Rooney.
President Donald Trump won the sprawling district, which reaches a portion of nine counties, including Sarasota, Charlotte and Polk, by a margin of 27 percentage points in 2016.
In a statement on Monday, crying over Freeman's death, Florida Democratic Party President Terrie Rizzo said the mother of two had "put her heart and soul into her community – and dedicated to a better future for all" .
"Last night, she was in the office, making calls and working to get the vote," Rizzo added. "His work ethic and passion have been a source of inspiration for all of us. This is a huge loss for the Democratic Party and for all who have known it. "
According to the Florida State Department, Freeman's name will remain in the November ballot, but the state's Democratic Party "will have the opportunity to nominate a candidate to fill the vacant position," a spokesman said. department at CNN.
"The ballot has already been printed, so basically a vote for April Freeman will be for whoever the candidate will end up being," said Ron Turner, Sarasota County's election supervisor, at the Herald-Tribune.
[ad_2]
Source link
