FL-17: Candidates already lining up for Kendrick Meek's seat

First at the table is State Rep. Phillip Brutus, the noblest Roman Floridian of them all:

Former state Rep. Phillip Brutus of Miami is holding a press release Friday in North Miami Beach to launch his bid for Meek's seat.

"My six years in a Republican-dominated Legislature have enabled me to sharpen my legislative skills, as Democrats could not get any bills passed without working across the aisle,'' he said in a press release. "After two years of reflection and introspection, I am ready for the challenge and will work hard to represent all citizens of Congressional District 17, with honor, prestige and dignity.''

Other potential contenders for Congress are state Sen. Frederica Wilson, State Rep. Ronald Brise and MIami Gardens Commissioner Andre Williams.

It is always a concern when men named Brutus seek higher office, but fortunately Rep. Brutus appears to be seeking a promotion in the lawful and conventional manner, rather than via coup.

One must hope, however, that the candidate will surround himself with trustworthy advisers. He got in this race awfully quickly after Meek announced for Senate - you can just picture his friends and staff whispering in his ear, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings".

Still, aside from being extra vigilant on the Ides of March, we seem to have little to fear, and much to expect, from Rep. Brutus: as another noble Roman has assured us, Brutus is an honorable man.

In seriousness, Phillip Brutus is a seemingly solid candidate with quite an interesting background; born in Haiti in 1957 (making him nearly a decade older than the man he seeks to replace), Brutus attended college and law school in Massachusetts before settling in Miami. He was the first Haitian-American elected to the Florida legislature, and has been active for decades in Haitian affairs within the state.

He surely won't be alone in the Democratic primary, however; seats with an old PVI of D+35 generally garner a wealth of primary candidates when they're open.