KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Republican State Rep. Paula Stark, who has represented Florida House District 47 since 2022, looks to have failed to qualify for re-election, a development that could significantly reshape the race for the Central Florida legislative seat.
According to candidate qualifying records, Stark’s name does not appear among the candidates who qualified for the 2026 election cycle. If that status remains unchanged, the race will move forward with two Democratic candidates: Jorge Figueroa and Anthony Nieves.
Figueroa serves as president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, while Nieves is a former state investigator. If Stark ultimately remains off the ballot, the outcome would ensure that a Democrat represents House District 47 beginning in 2027.
Under Florida’s Universal Primary Contest law, when all qualified candidates for an office belong to the same political party and no opposition candidates qualify, all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary election. As a result, voters throughout House District 47 could be eligible to participate in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary.
House District 47, which includes portions of Osceola County, has been a closely watched district in recent election cycles. The current configuration of the district was established following Florida’s 2022 redistricting process. Stark was first elected to represent the newly drawn district in November 2022 and was re-elected in 2024.
Prior to the 2022 redistricting cycle, the House District 47 designation existed elsewhere in Central Florida, but the district’s boundaries and represented communities differed significantly from those of the current seat. Democrats have viewed the district as a key opportunity in their efforts to regain legislative ground in Central Florida, making Stark’s apparent failure to qualify a potentially significant development in the region’s political landscape.
Born in Dothan, Alabama, Stark graduated from Osceola High School and attended Florida Technical University. Before entering elected office, she built a lengthy record of civic engagement and community leadership throughout Osceola County.
Since February 2012, Stark has served as Executive Director of St. Cloud Main Street, where she has led initiatives focused on downtown revitalization, historic preservation, economic development, and business growth in St. Cloud’s historic district.
Her community involvement has included service with numerous local organizations and advisory boards, including the City of St. Cloud Economic Advisory Council, the City of St. Cloud Historic Preservation Board, the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce, the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, the Osceola Center for the Arts, the Osceola County YMCA, Senior Little League, the St. Cloud Business Group, and the St. Cloud Economic Stimulus Grant Committee.
In recognition of her contributions to the community, Stark was named one of Orlando Magazine’s Women of the Year in 2023 and received the President’s Award from St. Cloud Main Street that same year.
As of Saturday afternoon, Stark had not publicly commented on her qualification status or indicated whether she intends to pursue any further action regarding the race.
Election officials are expected to finalize the ballot in the coming weeks ahead of the Aug. 18 primary election.
