April Freeman, the Democrat U.S. House candidate running in Florida’s 17th District, died suddenly on Sunday from a reported heart attack, shaking up the race as the state’s Democratic Party seeks to fill her vacancy.
The 54-year-old's husband confirmed her death in a Facebook post.
“It’s with great sadness that I feel I must inform all of you that my beloved wife April passed away suddenly last night,” David Freeman wrote. “To all of her family and friends here on Facebook, my heart aches with you.”
In an interview with the The Herald Tribune, David Freeman said it appeared his wife had a heart attack.
“That’s all I know right now,” he noted.
April Freeman was opposing Republican State Sen. Greg Steube of Sarasota to replace U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney in District 17.
The Democratic candidate’s name will remain on the ballot in November, but the Florida Department of State said the party “will have the opportunity to designate a nominee to fill the vacancy,” according to CNN.
“A notice will be provided to voters indicating that a vote for the former party nominee will be counted for the person designated by the political party to replace the former party nominee,” said Sarah Revell, director of communications for the department.
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner told the Herald Tribune that “the state party will work with local county parties that are affected to come up with a nominee.”
He added that the ballot was already printed, “so essentially a vote for April Freeman will be for whoever the nominee ends up being.”
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