June 20, 2020
Collier Democratic Candidates Featured in Series of Spotlight Interviews, Forums Online
Eight Democrats are on the ballot. Four will face off in the August primary election. Six will compete for federal, state and local offices in November.

Who are these candidates? Why are they running? What do they stand for?

Here's your chance to learn more about them in a series of video conversations hosted by the Collier County Democratic Party.

Click the links below to RSVP for the upcoming video conferences.
Cindy Banyai and David Holden
In southwest Florida's Congressional District 19, Cindy Banyai and David Holden will face off in the August primary election for the Democratic Party nomination. The winner will go on to the November Election.

Check out the video of their candidate forum moderated earlier this year by the Collier County Democratic Party:
JUNE 30: David Turrubiartez Jr.
Three Collier County Commission seats are up for election in 2020. In District 5, the Democratic candidate is David Turrubiartez Jr. who will be on the ballot in November.

Turrubiartez has spent most of his life in Immokalee. He and wife have been together for seven years and have two boys. In his spare time he coaches his son’s soccer team and volunteers with multiple local organizations. He decided to run due to his frustration with the underrepresentation in his community. Transparency and accountability are the two words he says that sum up his campaign. “It is now time that we hold our elected officials accountable and demand transparency.” Within 12 hours of announcing his candidacy, he raised the $5,000 filing fee with over 110 people contributing to make it possible.

RSVP for the Spotlight interview here:
JULY 7: Laura Novosad
The Democratic Party's candidate for State House District 80 is Laura Novosad, who will be on the ballot in November.

Novosad has worked with the Democratic Woman’s Club of Hendry County as a founding member and president. She is a lifelong Democrat and a party donor. Laura has been married for 38 years to her husband, Richard Novosad, and together they have two daughters. She has lived in Florida House District 80 for the last 22 years, both in Naples and now in La Belle. 
She received a BA in Special Education from FGCU in 2004, graduating at the top of her class. She is currently employed as a Realtor.

RSVP for the Spotlight interview here:
JULY 14: Sara McFadden
Running for State House in District 106 is Sara McFadden, who will be on the ballot in November.

McFadden is a former administrator and small business owner who became active in politics in 2015. In 2016 she joined the Democratic Party's Executive Committee, serving on the Credentials Committee. Later that year she was elected State Committeewoman. In 2017 she was appointed a vice chair of the state Democratic Party. This will be her second try at winning the Florida House District 106 seat. She has received multiple endorsements including Moms Demand Action Against Gun Violence.

RSVP for the Spotlight interview here:
JULY 21: Javier Estevez
Javier Estevez is one of two Democrats competing to be the Democratic Party nominee to represent eastern Collier County in State House District 105. The winner of the August primary will go on to the November Election.

Estevez was born and raised in Miami. Born to Cuban immigrant parents and graduating from public schools, he has deep roots in his community. Especially important to him is the need for equality, defending public education and ensuring his voters' voices are heard. Estevez is the legislative liaison for the Miami-Dade DEC, a board member of the Miami-Dade LGBTA Caucus, a member of the Florida Democratic Hispanic Caucus, and the Florida Democratic LGBTQ+ Caucus. In 2018, he ran for State Representative in District 105. While the GOP outspent his campaign 60 to1, he came within 417 votes of winning.

RSVP for the Spotlight interview here:
JULY 28: John Jenkins
Another Collier County Commission seat that is up for grabs is in District 1. John Jenkins will be on the ballot in November.

Jenkins is from Cambridge, Ontario and now lives in Collier County. He earned a B.A. at Kaplan University and studied criminal psychology at Confederation College. Jenkins, is the president of Auto Nanny, Inc., and became an American citizen in 2001. He has two sons. He has served as president of the Naples Kiwanis and is a founding member of Immokalee Kiwanis. Jenkins spent over a decade coaching with Greater Naples Little League and served as a Guardian Ad Litem. He has also served as vice-chair of the Collier County Public Transportation Advisory Committee ​for the past two years​. He is a member of Unity of Naples and has served on the board of directors.  


RSVP for the Spotlight interview here:
AUGUST 4: Maureen Porras
Maureen Porras is one of two Democrats competing to be the Democratic Party nominee to represent eastern Collier County in State House District 105. The winner of the August primary will go on to the November Election.

Porras was born in Nicaragua and immigrated to Miami at the age of seven. Her own immigration experience and her love for South Florida's cultural diversity led her to pursue a career as an immigration attorney and advocate. Since 2008, she has been providing access to legal services to the most vulnerable and underserved immigrant populations, including refugees, asylees, victims of abuse, and victims of trafficking and crimes. Maureen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University. She currently serves as Director of Immigration Legal Services at Church World Service.


RSVP for the Spotlight interview here:
Your Collier County Democratic Party is an all-volunteer, self-sustaining organization. Your donations allow us to support Democratic candidates, prepare election materials for distribution to voters, help fund our vote-by-mail and voter registration efforts, and allow us to maintain a local party headquarters for the use of volunteers and candidates. Won't you help us?