Republican Hill, Insurance Agent, Wins Florida House Seat

Republican Mike Hill has defeated Democrat Jeremy Lau for the vacant state House District 2 seat.

The Miami Herald reported that Hill carried about 58 percent of the vote in the Northwest Florida district, which includes Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

The 55-year old Hill is a State Farm insurance agent in Pensacola and a tea party favorite. He will fill the seat left by the death of Rep. Clay Ford, who died in March after a battle with cancer.

The Pensacola News Journal reported that Hill will be the first African-American state representative from the area in recent times.

Lau, an aircraft mechanic for a military contractor, tried to make an issue of the Republican-led legislature’s refusal to expand Medicaid even though federal dollars would cover most costs under the federal health care law.