Updated at 5:45 p.m.
The Duval Democratic party will have to choose a replacement candidate to run for Jacksonville’s District 13 House seat.
Incumbent Reggie Fullwood is ineligible to hold the seat after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud Thursday in a plea deal.
He officially withdrew his candidacy Friday evening.
Duval Democratic Executive Committee spokesman James Poindexter said now that he's withdrawn, the state party chair will contact Duval’s chair, and the committee will have to decide on a replacement to run against Republican candidate Mark Griffin.
“And then from that time we have five days to hold an executive committee meeting during which we’ll select the replacement nominee,” Poindexter said.
And many people might be interested in running. Fullwood won his primary in a narrow six-way race for what could have been his fourth term.
“Of course there’s always rumors of who might be interested in running and that sort of thing,” Poindexter said. “I’m sure those who ran in the primary against Representative Fullwood, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had an interest. Folks like Tracie Davis who came in close second to Representative Fullwood in the primary.”
But Fullwood’s name is already printed on November’s ballots.
Election Supervisor Mike Hogan said he’s waiting for the state Division of Elections to instruct instruct him how to conduct the election.
Hogan said the state has the option of going by a “general voting reference guide,” which recommends placing signs in voting booths instructing people a vote for Fullwood is a vote for whomever the Democratic party selects as a replacement.
Editor's note: This article was updated with Fullwood's withdrawl from the race.
Reporter Lindsey Kilbride can be reached at lkilbride@wjct.org, 904-358-6359 or on Twitter at@lindskilbride
