Braynon, Pritchett Win Special Elections

MIAMI (CBS4) – State Rep. Oscar Braynon II defeated three other Democrats in a special primary election and will face former Republican North Miami Mayor Joe Celestin in a March 1 general election for the state Senate seat left vacant by the departure of Democrat Frederica Wilson for Congress.

Braynon won the race with 41.81-percent of the vote.

Braynon will be favored to defeat Celestin next month because Senate District 33, which spans from Overtown to Miami Gardens and includes portions of El Portal, Miami Shores and North Miami, heavily favors a Democrat. About 70 percent of the district's voters are registered Democrats. In the House district, registered Democrats make up about 75 percent of the electorate.

Braynon's run for the Senate seat left a vacancy in the House and Miami Gardens City Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett appears to have narrowly defeated Barbara Watson in the Democratic primary to replace Braynon.

Pritchett had 42.45-percent of the vote to 40.79 for Watson and that the race might go to a recount, according to the News Service of Florida. There is no other candidate in the House race, so if the results stand, Pritchett would take Braynon's District 103 Seat.

District 103 includes parts of Miami Gardens, Opa-Locka, and Miramar.