WAR OF WORDS: Fiery exchanges during 2nd debate of Orange-Osceola state attorney hopefuls

Candidates for Orange-Osceola state attorney met Friday for a second debate, with questions of how to keep the community safe and allegations of election meddling continuing to frame the race.

Moderated by WESH 2 anchor Nancy Alvarez, the debate between incumbent State Attorney Andrew Bain and Monique Worrell, his suspended predecessor, rehashed many of the themes from the Sept. 11 event. Namely, the candidates focused on falling crime rates with each claiming credit for them, a contention the Orlando Sentinel questioned in its fact-check on the first debate .

The debate took place hours after Bain, running as a no-party-affiliated candidate, announced an endorsement by Orange County Sheriff John Mina, a vocal critic of Worrell’s tenure as state attorney.

“You are safer today than you are a year ago,” Bain said, a common refrain during his campaign as he looks to keep his post following his appointment last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Like last week, she repeated the claim she oversaw the region’s lowest violent crime rate in over a decade.

“I understand that you can’t just be tough on crime, you have to be smart on crime,” said Worrell, a Democrat whom DeSantis removed following allegations, which she denies, of neglecting her duty as the region’s chief prosecutor.

The candidates discussed the need for collaborations between the State Attorney’s Office and community organizations, as well as law enforcement. While Bain and Worrell have implemented diversion and community initiatives aimed at reducing crime, Bain boasted of partnerships with organizations aimed at addressing youth and literacy — many of which were introduced during his administration.

“That is the product of what needs to be done, not just words,” Bain said. He further attacked Worrell for what he claimed were bungled cases of defendants who went on to commit violent crimes.

In her defense, Worrell alluded, vaguely, to a case during Bain’s tenure that similarly involved a suspect with a criminal history now facing new charges — arguing it’s difficult to predict future crimes.

“The reality is we can’t control what individuals do; we can control what we do in our office,” Worrell said. ” … While Mr. Bain can say that under my administration ‘this person got out and did that,’ under Mr. Bain’s administration, people get out and they are serial rapists and get caught in South Florida for committing another rape.”

She added, “That’s no more Mr. Bain’s fault than it was my fault when those things happened under my administration.”

A question of evidence: Did deposed Orange-Osceola state attorney deserve blame for failed drug trafficking cases?

The debate also focused on a lawsuit claiming high-level Republican officials, including those close to DeSantis, meddled with the GOP candidates for state attorney to benefit Bain’s campaign. Ultimately, the winner of the GOP primary, Seth Hyman, abandoned the race, allowing the conservative support to coalesce around Bain.

Thomas Feiter, who filed the suit and attended the debate , again clashed with Bain during the question-and-answer portion. Bain, who’s named in the lawsuit, said he has “nothing to hide” with respect to the allegations.

“I’m here for whatever investigation that’s going to be fair and open,” he said, later adding, “If I’m required to [turn over my devices as part of one], I will do it.”

Forty-six days from the election, the race between Bain and Worrell is one of the most widely watched elections in Florida — a referendum on the candidates’ time in office before Worrell’s fateful suspension.

In some respects, the contest mirrors one taking place in Hillsborough County, where DeSantis suspended then-State Attorney Andrew Warren after he pledged not to prosecute people seeking or providing abortions that run afoul of state law. Like Worrell, Warren is running to return to office against his DeSantis-appointed successor, Suzy Lopez.

DeSantis hasn’t said if he plans to again seek Worrell’s suspension should she return to office. At a roundtable discussion in Pinellas County on Thursday, the governor didn’t answer a question about her and Warren’s possible return to office but said he expects prosecutors to follow the law.

“We want to make sure our state is safe, we want to make sure law and order prevails,” he said. “But particularly in some of our urban areas, you’ve got to hold criminals accountable. You cannot have a revolving door.”

As for the candidates Friday, Worrell wouldn’t say if she expects a new suspension should she win: “All I can do is continue to respect the voter’s right to choose their own elected officials and do what works best in this community.”

Asked if he’d return as an appointed state attorney should he lose, Bain said he “never thought about it.”

“Because I plan to win,” he said.