Lawsuit alleges plot to run sham candidate so DeSantis appointee can win election

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other GOP officials were behind a plot to eliminate competition for his appointee and keep a former Democratic state attorney who the Republican governor had removed from office last year from winning back her job as the top prosecutor in central Florida, according to a lawsuit filed this week.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Thomas Feiter, a Republican candidate for the State Attorney district covering metro Orlando who lost in the GOP primary to Seth Hyman.

Hyman earlier this month dropped out of the general election race where he was facing DeSantis appointee Andrew Bain, who is running without party affiliation, and Democrat Monique Worrell, who Bain replaced after DeSantis suspended her in what opponents viewed as a political move.

After withdrawing from the race this month, Hyman endorsed Bain. No Republican was named by the state GOP to take Hyman’s place on the general election ballot for November.

According to the lawsuit, the Republican officials supported Hyman’s sham candidacy knowing he would drop out of the race after winning the primary.

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