Geller, Cortes To Join House Democrats

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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Despite a dismal night for their party, Democratic newcomers Joe Geller and John Cortes defeated Republican opponents Tuesday to win seats in the Florida House.

Geller received 59 percent of the vote as he topped Republican Marty Feigenbaum and Libertarian Omar Recuero in House District 100, which includes parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Geller will replace term-limited Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach.

Meanwhile, Cortes received 66 percent of the vote as he defeated Republican Carlos Irizarry in Osceola County's House District 43. Cortes toppled incumbent Rep. Ricardo Rangel, D-Kissimmee, in the Democratic primary in August.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

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