Former Miami-Dade School Board member Lucía Báez-Geller won the Democratic primary for House District 106 on Tuesday, Aug. 18, defeating trial lawyer Ashley Litwin Diego with 57% of the vote, according to Florida Politics.

Báez-Geller now advances to the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election against incumbent Republican Rep. Fabián Basabe in a district that runs along the coast from Miami Beach through Sunny Isles Beach and Aventura. HD 106 is one of the most competitive state House seats in Florida.

The result sets up a matchup between a former school board member seeking a political comeback and a sitting lawmaker who was ordered to pay $450,000 in damages after a Leon County jury found him liable for sexual harassment, battery and defamation on July 15.

A Jury Verdict Leaves Basabe Politically Exposed

Basabe, a former reality TV personality who first won HD 106 in 2022 by less than a percentage point, enters the general election politically weakened. He represented himself at trial and rested his case without calling a single witness, according to the Biscayne Times. The jury deliberated about two hours before finding he should pay damages to former aide Nicolas Frevola, Frevola's mother Janette Frevola and former intern Jacob Cutbirth.

After the verdict, multiple elected officials who had previously endorsed Basabe pulled their support, including Sunny Isles Beach Commissioner Alex Lama, who said he was "disgusted," according to Florida Politics. Democratic Rep. Jose Alvarez, Surfside Commissioner Ruben Coto and Bal Harbour Council Member Buzzy Sklar also rescinded their endorsements.

A separate lawsuit the harassment plaintiffs brought against the Florida House of Representatives, accusing it of insufficiently investigating their claims, remains pending.

A Swing District, a Fundraising Edge and a Rematch of Comeback Bids

The district swung sharply between the last two presidential elections, going to Joe Biden by 10 points in 2020 and to Donald Trump by 9 points in 2024. Basabe won re-election in 2024 by a 4-point margin and is seeking a third term.

Báez-Geller holds a fundraising advantage. As of July 10, she had roughly $134,000 in cash on hand compared to Basabe's $18,000 at his last reporting deadline, Florida Politics reported. She raised more than $324,000 for the race, including $250,000 in self-loans.

Báez-Geller previously left the school board to run for Congress in 2024, losing to Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar. In a July 16 interview with WPLG Local 10, the day after the Basabe verdict, she said: "I believe that District 106 deserves better. It's time that we turn the page and have a real trusted leader like myself, who has results to come in and really deliver for the people."

The primary was competitive. The Miami Herald editorial board endorsed Litwin Diego, calling the lawyer the best choice for the seat. Litwin Diego, a breast-cancer survivor and first-time candidate, had raised nearly $261,000 and qualified for the ballot by petition signatures.

What's Next

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.