Three Fight To Fill Open Congressional Seat In Florida

TAMPA (CBSMiami/AP) — The competition is on to fill and open congressional seat  for U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, who resigned in January after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.

Voters in the heavily Republican southwest Florida district are set to vote Tuesday.

Republican Curt Clawson is a favorite to defeat Democrat April Freeman and Libertarian Ray Netherwood in the vote.

Republicans make up about 45 percent of the registered voters in the district, with Democrats accounting for 27 percent. Mitt Romney defeated Barack Obama in the district with 61 percent of the vote in the 2012 presidential election.

Whoever wins will serve the last six months of Radel's term and will have to run for re-election in November to keep the job.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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