A Democratic candidate on the losing end of three previous elections is the winner over a Republican who once appeared on "The Apprentice" in a special election to fill a Florida state Senate seat.
Unofficial results show Annette Taddeo beat state Rep. Jose Felix "Pepi" Diaz in an election to fill the Miami-area seat that was left vacant when Republican Frank Artiles resigned after using the N-word in front of two black colleagues.
The 50-year-old businesswoman has run for Congress twice and was Democrat Charlie Crist's running mate in the 2014 governor's race won by Republican incumbent Rick Scott.
In 2006, Diaz appeared on President Donald Trump's reality show and was one of the first contestants to be "fired" by the billionaire. Democrats used the 37-year-old lawyer's ties to the president to stir up support for Taddeo.
South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz released a statement Tuesday to congratulate Taddeo.
"Her impressive campaign is evidence that voters are eager to accept a bold, progressive policy agenda that puts people first - and a signal that the Florida Democratic Party, under Stephen Bittel's leadership, is ready for the election season ahead," said Wasserman Schultz.
