Margaret Good emerged the clear favorite of Democrats running in a special election for an open state House seat. Now, the real fight to represent Sarasota-based District 72 begins in earnest, with Good, Republican James Buchanan and Libertarian Alison Foxall looking toward the Feb. 13 election. “I am just humbled and grateful for the report I have received,” she told SRQ.

Good on Tuesday night bested primary opponent Ruta Jouniari by 6,144 votes to 2,342, nearly a three-to-one margin, according to unofficial final results. Buchanan ran unopposed for the Republican nomination, and Foxall is the only Libertarian in the race, so with the Democratic primary settled, the line-up for candidates in February is set. Good led the early and absentee vote with more than 75 percent of votes cast, and while Jouniari tightened the gap by a few percentage points with strong Election Day turnout, it proved no match for the better organized Good campaign.

Perhaps more significant than the final tally, the Democratic primary drew about 21.18 percent of eligible voters to turn out. In comparison, about 29 percent of Democratic voters in District 72 came out during the regular August primary last year. “Democrats are really ready to win this election,” Good says. “I think that shows with the 21 percent turnout with a primary election with one race on the ballot.” District 72’s registered voters are roughly 42.3 percent Republican, 32.3 percent Democrat and 25.5 percent independent or third-party.

Foxall, for her part, appealed to Jouniari supporters on social media, tweeting that the bested Democrat ran a passionate campaign “I hope to work with her in the future, if not in the FL state house, then here at home, helping the community,” Foxall wrote.

Good plans to run on a platform of fully funding public schools, protecting the environment and boosting the local economy in Sarasota.