‘Vindicated’: Suspended Orange-Osceola state attorney wins reelection against DeSantis appointee
Embattled former Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell won her job back in an election that was a referendum on her suspension last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Democrat won with just over 57% of the vote versus nearly 43% garnered by State Attorney Andrew Bain, a former Orange County judge appointed by DeSantis to replace her.
"I feel vindicated," Worrell told the Orlando Sentinel shortly after results were finalized. "Tonight the voters have vindicated me. Let's just hope the governor will respect the will of the voters this time."
Worrell's electoral win Tuesday night ends the saga of her suspension from office, the culmination of public spats with local law enforcement leaders for her office's handling of violent crimes. Her time in office was also marked by a progressive prosecution style as violent crime dipped in Central Florida and nationwide since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a trend that's continued under Bain.
In August 2023, DeSantis issued an executive order for her removal, accusing her of negligence and dereliction of duty. Whether he intends to suspend her again is an unanswered question, though experts say he would need to find new justifications to do so rather than relying on the reasons laid out in last year's executive order.
"After the year I've been through, there's very little I worry about," Worrell said. "Things will happen and we'll handle it as they happen."
Bain's campaign issued a statement conceding the race immediately as the counts in Orange and Osceola wrapped up. He congratulated Worrell on her victory while thanking his supporters as he readies to finish out his term in office.
"With an exceptional team of both seasoned prosecutors and passionate young attorneys, we will continue to work we have started," Bain said. "Together, we will fight for justice, pursue fairness and ensure that every decision made from this office priorities the safety and well-being of the people."
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Orange County Commission District 3 incumbent Mayra Uribe, middle, gets a hug from her daughter, Faith Sutton at her election party at the Delaney Tavern in Orlando on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.(Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
He continued, "Thank you for standing by me and for believing in our shared vision. The work continues, and with your support, we will keep our community safe — now and in the future.
Running as a no-party-affiliated candidate, Bain was backed by the Florida Republicans, with the state party spending big on ads tying three murders by Pine Hills shooter Keith Moses to Worrell — over the objections of one of the victims' families.
The law enforcement candidate, the outgoing state attorney was backed by several police unions along with Orange County Sheriff John Mina, one of Worrell's vocal critics.
The state attorney-elect is looking forward to her return to office, where she said she will continue the priorities she first campaigned on in 2020.
"We will continue opening doors for second chances, jailing violent offenders and rebuilding relationships between the community and law enforcement," Worrell said.
Bain campaigned on a more aggressive approach to prosecution while building on programs first put in place by Worrell, like the adult civil citation program. On the anniversary of his appointment he highlighted other initiatives from his office, like a literacy program for youth offenders and appointing a liaison between his office and law enforcement to address youth crime.
Worrell was one of two state attorneys suspended by DeSantis, the other being Andrew Warren of Hillsborough County. Warren was suspended after pledging not to prosecute people accused of seeking or providing abortions or gender-affirming care, which would run afoul of state law.
Unlike Worrell, Warren is on track to lose his race to appointed State Attorney Suzy Lopez, who received 52% of the vote in Hillsborough with 95% of precincts there reporting.
The governor's office did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on the election results.
The Ninth Circuit, which covers Orange and Osceola counties, has not seen a state attorney reelected to consecutive terms since longtime chief prosecutor Lawson Lamar. Lamar was first elected in 1988, often running unopposed until ultimately losing in 2012 to Jeff Ashton.
Ashton then lost his reelection bid to Aramis Ayala in the 2016 Democratic primary. Ayala didn't run for reelection in 2020, the year Worrell won in a landslide with Ayala's support. Her suspension in 2023 kept her from completing her term.
Bain's appointment made him the fourth state attorney to serve since Lawson's departure.
