Nina Hayden surprised a lot of folks when she decided to challenge GOP heavyweight Jack Latvala for the state Senate in 2010, instead of running for re-election for the school board in Pinellas County. She ultimately lost to Latvala 64 to 36 percent.
There were similar expressions of surprise this week when Hayden announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the newly formed Congressional District 13, better known as The District Owned By Bill Young, the Pinellas County Republican who's been in office for more than 40 years.
She was the second Pinellas Democrat within days to throw her hat in the ring for the race. Attorney Jessica Ehrlich, 38, also announced her candidacy last week. And CL hears rumors that there might be more getting into the August 14 primary.
This article appears in Mar 1-7, 2012.