Francis Rooney’s congressional seat has second Democratic contender

Aug. 02--A second Democratic candidate has filed to compete for the congressional seat currently held by Francis Rooney.

Todd James Truax, of Bonita Springs, said Wednesday he is running because he can't stand to see Medicare/Medicaid and Planned Parenthood threatened by the Republican-controlled Congress.

"I became a politician four weeks ago to protect those folks I've been protecting all my life," said Truax, 48, who runs nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida. "I really feel their lives are being threatened."

Truax has said he's worked with the elderly and frail in one way or another for his entire career. He has a master's degree in social service from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

He said he planned on using the connections he's made running nursing homes to launch his campaign and raise money to flip Republican senior citizens into voting for a Democrat.

"What matters to me is the 'gray' party," Truax said. "I was an independent for 30 years."

And while he doesn't have any campaign experience, he said he has lobbied on behalf of health care in Tallahassee, where he's made connections with executives and vendors.

Truax doesn't have the early name recognition that Democratic contender David Holden does in local Democratic circles, but he's been interviewed by at least one party leader so far.

"Mr. Truax is a strong candidate with deep roots in Lee and Collier County," said Tamara Paquette, president of the Democratic Women's Club in Collier County.

Truax's website site lists national security, immigration, environment and health care as his major issues. It says he supports a three-day mandatory waiting period and background check for any gun sale, is against building a border wall, believes in climate change and supports universal health care.

District 19 is made up of Collier and Lee counties and is a deeply conservative area that President Donald Trump won by 22 points in the general election.

Rooney, a Naples Republican, won the seat in 2016.

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