Suzanne Kosmas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's24th district | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Feeney |
| Succeeded by | Sandy Adams |
| Member of theFlorida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 5, 1996 – November 2, 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Jack Ascherl |
| Succeeded by | Dorothy Hukill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Suzanne McDonald (1944-02-25)February 25, 1944 (age 81) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | Pennsylvania State University George Mason University Stetson University (BA) |
Suzanne Kosmas (néeMcDonald;[1] born February 25, 1944) is the formerU.S. representative forFlorida's 24th congressional district, serving one term from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of theDemocratic Party. She previously served in theFlorida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2004.[2][3]
Kosmas has lived inNew Smyrna Beach since 1973. She has owned Prestige Properties of New Smyrna Beach, a real estate company, since 1979. Kosmas attendedThe Pennsylvania State University andGeorge Mason University, later graduatingPhi Beta Kappa fromStetson University in 1998.[4] She was married to Robert Paul Kosmas Sr.
In 1996, when incumbent State RepresentativeJack Ascherl opted against seeking re-election, Kosmas ran to succeed him in the 28th District, which included easternVolusia County. She was initially scheduled to face Ted Doran, aPort Orange attorney in theDemocratic primary, but at the last minute, GovernorLawton Chiles persuaded Doran to run in the 27th District instead.[5] Accordingly, she won the primary unopposed and, while a contentiousRepublican primary developed between businessman Fred Cooper and formerDaytona Beach Mayor Paul Carpenella, Kosmas was able to raise campaign contributions for the general election.[6] In the general election, Kosmas ended up facing Cooper, and a close election ensued. Republicans, hoping to win a majority in theFlorida House of Representatives for the first time sinceReconstruction,[7] targeted the 28th District.[8]
Kosmas focused her campaign on economic development, education, juvenile crime, and healthcare.[9] On education, Kosmas emphasized her support for reducing class sizes, accountability for local school districts, and on creating alternative learning environments for disruptive children to develop home-grown solutions could help address the issue.[10] She noted her concern that, while violent crime was decreasing, juvenile crime was increasing, and argued that reducing truancy, using the educational system to identify at-risk children, and working with community leaders to develop home-grown solutions could help address the issue.[11]
Chiles repeatedly visited the district to campaign for Kosmas,[12] arguing that Ascherl left large shoes to fill and that she had the leadership credentials to replace him.[13] Kosmas was also endorsed by theOrlando Sentinel, which argued that she had "a much sharper understanding of issues" than Cooper and that her "extensive hands-on community-service experience" was better-suited than his,[14] and by theDaytona Beach News-Journal, which concluded that she was "extraordinarily well-versed on key issues" and was "much more in touch than Cooper with the needs of the community."[15] TheNews-Journal also criticized the attack ads that Cooper ran against Kosmas—which called her "Volusia County's Biggest Fraud" and accused her of being a "tax cheat" and a "business fraud"—as "the nastiest and most deceptive ads" in that year's elections.[16] Ultimately, Kosmas ended up narrowly defeating Cooper, winning her first term in the legislature 52–48%, by a little more than 2,000 votes.[17]
When Kosmas ran for re-election in 1998, she was opposed by Republican nominee Jerry Gardner, a staffer who had worked at the local state attorney's office and for theState Senate's criminal justice committee.[18] Kosmas emphasized her experience in the legislature, legislative accomplishments, and moderate views, while Gardner argued that she was ideologically out-of-step with the more conservative district.[19] Once again, theNews-Journal and theSentinel endorsed Kosmas, with theSentinel praising her for her knowledge and "deep concern for her community,"[20] while theNews-Journal praised "her record and her promise for greater service to come."[21] Kosmas improved on her margin of victory, defeating Gardner 53–47%, winning by around 2,000 votes.[22]
In 2000, Kosmas ran for re-election against formerVolusia County School Board Member Deborah Denys, who focused her campaign on her support for charter schools and school vouchers. Kosmas argued that she was an independent legislator and that Denys would vote as "a rubber stamp for the leadership that's already there.[23] She focused on her support for public schools and campaigned against Denys's proposal to provide public funds for private school vouchers, and noted her opposition to abortion regulations.[24] Ultimately, despite the perceived closeness of the race, along with the closeness of thepresidential race in Florida, Kosmas vastly improved on her margin of victory over Denys, winning her third term 57–43%.[25]
Due to term limits, Kosmas ran for her fourth and final term in 2002, and she faced Denys once again. Even though her district became more Republican-leaning after redistricting, Kosmas staked out a big fundraising lead over Denys and drew on her popularity in the district.[26] Denys attacked Kosmas for opposing the right to fly the American flag, opposing classrooms displaying the Constitution, and supporting providing drivers licenses to foreign nationals. She argued that the attacks were inaccurate and misstated her record.[27] Ultimately, despite the changes to the district and Governor Jeb Bush'slandslide re-election, Kosmas won re-election by a wide margin, receiving 55% of the vote to Denys's 42% andLibertarian nominee Mary Morelly's 3%.[28] When Kosmas was term-limited in 2004, she was succeeded by RepublicanDorothy Hukill.
In 2009, Kosmas joined with the Democratic majority to vote for theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,[29] theLilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009,[30] theAmerican Clean Energy and Security Act,[31] and theLocal Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.[32] She originally voted along with 38 other Democrats against theAffordable Health Care for America Act.[33] However, she switched to a "Yes" vote for the Senate version of the bill.[34][35]
Kosmas was one of the top recruits for the Democrats in the 2008 cycle. Despite the wide perception that Feeney had drawn the 24th for himself while still serving as state house speaker (the district included most of his state house district), the district is actually a fairly marginal district on paper, with aCook Partisan Voting Index of R+4. It includes most of Democratic-leaningVolusia County, where Kosmas lives.
In 2008, Kosmas campaigned on issues such asfiscal conservatism, support for veterans, and values like integrity and transparency.[36] Independent expenditure ads attacked Feeney for his ties toJack Abramoff, and Feeney's own ad released six weeks prior to the election exacerbated the negative public perception.[37]
In the November election, Kosmas won, taking 57% of the vote to Feeney's 41%[38] — the largest margin of defeat for a Republican incumbent in the 2008 cycle.
Kosmas defeated former Winter Springs Mayor Paul Partyka in the Democratic primary.
Kosmas was defeated for re-election by former State RepresentativeSandy Adams on Nov. 2, 2010 by a 60% to 40% margin. Ironically, two years after handing Feeney the largest margin of defeat for a Republican incumbent in the 2008 cycle, Kosmas herself lost by the second-largest margin of any Democratic incumbent in the 2010 cycle, afterChet Edwards of Texas.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Suzanne Kosmas | 211,284 | 57.20 | |
| Republican | Tom Feeney (incumbent) | 151,863 | 41.11 | |
| Independent | Gaurav Bhola | 6,223 | 1.68 | |
| Total votes | 369,370 | 100.00 | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sandy Adams | 146,129 | 59.66 | |
| Democratic | Suzanne Kosmas (incumbent) | 98,787 | 40.34 | |
| Total votes | 244,916 | 100.00 | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 24th congressional district 2009–2011 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
| People | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
