Rep. Paula Stark, left, and union leader Maria Revelles are facing off in state HD 47. (Photo submitted by Revelles’ campaign and via Stark’s website)
An incumbent facing financial controversy is defending against a political newcomer in state House District 47, a race that’s drawn heavy financial investments from the Democratic Party.
Democrat Maria Revelles is challenging Rep. Paula Stark, first elected in 2022 in the district containing parts of Orange and Osceola counties.
Revelles, a career union leader and “fighter for social justice and equality,” decided to run when she recognized the power of being covered by health insurance while receiving treatment for lymphoma, she has said.
Her platform centers around lowering insurance rates, affordable housing, better-paying jobs, and strong public schools. Revelles was born in Puerto Rico, and the district has a large Hispanic and Puerto Rican population. She lives in Kissimmee and works for La Mesa Boricua, a “strategic movement to strengthen the power and well-being of Puerto Ricans everywhere,” according to its website.
Stark, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, spent much of her career as the publisher of the Osceola News Gazette before becoming executive director of St. Cloud Main Street. She has authored children’s books and campaigns on providing higher-paying jobs in the tourism-heavy district, improving veteran services, sentencing reform for non-violent offenders, and “fairer” school funding.
Money
The most recent financial reports available show Revelles had received more than $156,000 in contributions and spent only $29,153, with a great deal of her support coming from the Florida Democratic Party and Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee. Her PAC, according to the most recent reports, has spent $62,763 of $77,961.
According to Stark’s most recent financial report, she has spent $33,636 against $70,095 raised. Her PAC, Friends of Paula, as of Oct. 11 had spent more than $88,000 of $96,146 it raised, although more than $5,000 was a loan from an advertising company.
Stark has been the subject of media coverage for her financial reports and lavish campaign spending.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that Stark has “racked up questionable expenses, failed to file required state finance forms correctly and on time and had her taxpayer-funded office expense account frozen.”
In early October, the Sentinel reported that Stark’s House spending account has remained frozen since March over $13,000 in irregularities. As of July, the Sentinel reported, her PAC had been fined more than $23,000 for late reporting.
Stark’s PAC has given $1,880 to St. Cloud Main Street, of which she is executive director, and thousands for restaurant expenses, travel to and from the Republican National Convention in July, and chartering a jet to meet with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, the Sentinel reported.
Stark’s scheduler told the Phoenix the representative did not have time to interview for this story.
Medicaid expansion
Florida is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, although a petition initiative for the 2026 ballot is underway to give voters a chance to expand the program.
The program is funded in part by the state and in part by the federal government and assists in covering medical costs for people with limited income. Expanding it to cover more Floridians has been largely a partisan issue, with many Republicans in fierce opposition.
Revelles recalled to the Phoenix the moment she knew she wanted to run for office. She was receiving treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma when she met two others facing the same diagnosis, but who did not receive treatment because they lacked health insurance.
“I said, ‘God, if I get out of this, I need to make a change, or at least try to do the best that I can to make a change and to open the eyes of people,” Revelles said. “Medicaid expansion is not a position. It shouldn’t be partisan. It’s a matter of life and death of Floridians.”
Expanding Medicaid would take “a lot of work across the aisle with Republicans” who “maybe they haven’t had the right conversation,” Revelles said.
“Let’s make it clear, this is federal funding that should be coming for Florida, and we’re simply letting it sit in Washington for not a real reason. It’s only Republican propaganda.”
Stark suggested during an election preview interview with the Orlando Sentinel, “We should take a look at expanding Medicaid.”
“To what extent, I’m not sure,” she said. “The Medicaid for all, I think, has to really be examined and experts smarter than me need to come to the table and say, ‘How do you pay for that?’”
Property insurance
The property insurance market has been unstable for years, given the storms that have wrecked parts of the state and companies’ costs of defending policyholder lawsuits challenging denial of coverage. The Legislature voted in 2022 to limit lawsuits against insurers but the law did not require insurers to lower rates.
With hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton smashing into the state this year, causing billions in damage, voters have property insurance heavy on their minds. Increased rates or denial of coverage for storm damage has priced some people out of their homes or even the state.
The coastline in Steinhatchee remains covered in debris on Oct. 3, 2024, following Hurricane Helene. (Photo Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
“The working families in Florida cannot take another raise from insurance companies. I think it’s ridiculous. The insurance companies are acting in a predatory way, and Republicans in Tallahassee have been allowing it,” Revelles said.
The newcomer said the Legislature needs to stop being a “rubber stamp” for insurance companies while denying climate change. When it comes to raising rates, she said, the Legislature should impose rate limits and demand forensic audits.
Stark, when asked by the Sentinel, pointed to a law that recently took effect giving tax relief for those struggling with property insurance.
“Hopefully people will realize some savings. It isn’t a lot but at least it’s helpful,” Stark said.
As for a solution, Stark proposed more strategic building — something Gov. Ron DeSantis has rejected.
“We have to stop building in places we shouldn’t be building. We’re putting people in homes at risk,” Stark said, adding that insurance companies could create a nationwide strategic plan to compromise rates between areas that tend to experience greater damage and areas that experience less damage.
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About the amendments
The right to abortion and use recreational marijuana use are each up to voters this election. How those measures might be implemented could be up to the people the same voters send to Tallahassee.
Revelles said she supports Amendment 3, the marijuana initiative, and Amendment 4, which would provide a state constitutional right to abortion.
If Amendment 4 does pass, Revelles said, she is concerned about the Legislature blunting its reach, pointing to “all the arm twisting” the Legislature did after voters approved restoring voting rights to felons. The 2018 ballot measure granted felons a right to vote, but the Legislature required that fines and fees must be paid before they can do that.
“I am concerned that we’re going to see some of that, but hopefully, at the end of the day, the true voice of the voters should be respected, because we say that this is the free state of Florida, so we might as well act like it,” Revelles said.
Stark said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel that she supports prohibiting abortion after 15 weeks’ gestation. She was one of the few Republicans who voted against the six-week abortion ban.
“I took that position when I campaigned last time — I said I would not go less than 15 weeks for the abortion bill. We should have stayed there. That’s a compromise for both sides and it should have been something that we just didn’t touch,” Stark told the Sentinel
Like Revelles, Stark showed some skepticism of what might happen in the state’s legislative chambers if the amendment does pass.
“I trust the voice of the people, and I would support the voice of the people,” Stark said. “I am not sure what will happen after the fact if it does pass. I hope as leaders in our state that we all say, ‘Our people voted and we support that vote.’”
Stark opposes the marijuana amendment, citing the drug’s contribution to mental health problems in some people and the chance of having to smell reefer in public, although she showed interest in reducing the number of people jailed for marijuana offenses.
Revelles said the Legislature would play a role in regulating marijuana use if the amendment passes, and that “it needs to be implemented following the letter of the law.”
Revelles told the Sentinel that passing recreational marijuana would be a “wise direction to go,” highlighting increased tax revenue and reduced black market and gang activity.
Endorsements
In addition to Trump, Stark is endorsed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business.
Revelles is endorsed by U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, the Orlando Sentinel editorial board, multiple labor unions, and local officials.
Revelles’ background with unions proves her ability to compromise, she said.
“I have worked in my life with more than 200 union contracts, so I know how to work across the aisle. I know how to meet opposition in the center, and I also know of the many issues that Floridians in House District 47 deal with,” Revelles said, listing poor wages, health insurance, and public-school funding.
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