Why a Democrat says he can beat Laurel Lee in Tampa congressional race
Darren McAuley, a former Veterans Affairs doctor with about a quarter century of experience as a military flight surgeon, announced he is entering the race.
The married father of three says he's running first and foremost on affordability.
'I can win the district because Republicans have unfortunately made it clear that they are not going to do what's required to take care of people,' McAuley said in an interview.
Lee has represented Congressional District 15 — which covers part of Hillsborough, Polk and Pasco counties — since 2023. The area leans Republican and the seat is up for election in 2026.
McAuley criticized Lee's vote in support of President Donald Trump's signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which, among other things, made cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs and extended tax cuts from Trump's first administration. The bill is projected to explode the federal deficit. (Republicans have contended the economic growth encouraged by the tax cuts will offset the decrease in federal revenue.)
He also said Lee has not done enough to push back on Trump's stance on tariffs, which McAuley argues are going to lead to more expensive consumer goods for Central Floridians.
In response to McAuley's criticisms, a spokesperson for Lee defended her record.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act 'delivered real results for Central Florida families by stopping the largest tax increase in American history, eliminating wasteful spending, and protecting essential programs that our seniors and veterans rely on,' the spokesperson, Landon Hoffman, wrote in a text. Later, he added, 'What some call a 'trade war,' we see as a long-overdue defense of U.S. workers.'
Lee won reelection in 2024 by 12 points over Democrat and former Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp.
But that race was not without turbulence. After she was the only member of Florida's congressional delegation to endorse Gov. Ron DeSantis for president over Trump, Trump briefly and publicly explored endorsing a primary challenger to Lee in 2024. No such major challenger materialized, and Lee endorsed Trump for president after DeSantis dropped out.
Lee, who previously served as Florida's top election official, has filed to run again with the state, as have two other Democrats, Robert People and Jose Engell.
In a survey published on Ballotpedia, People, an Army veteran, said he's running to protect Social Security, expand access to abortion and increase teacher salaries nationwide. His federal campaign committee has raised about $8,700.
In that same survey, Generation Z candidate Engell said he's running on Medicare for All and paid maternity leave. A campaign committee supporting his run has not filed any receipts, federal campaign finance records show.
Although Congressional District 15 has long been coveted by Democrats, it's slipped away from them in recent election cycles. McAuley, who lives just outside the district, hopes to reverse the trend by showing voters he believes in common sense above party politics.
'What's bringing me into this race is seeing the caliber of leadership…lacking in Congress,' he said. 'We need to focus on serving the needs of the people.'
This story may be updated. Check back at tampabay.com.
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