Those numbers are incorrect. The ones from before 2012 are from the old Sarasota-based FL-13 (the CDs were renumbered in 2012). And in 2012 Obama carried the FL-13 by only 50.1% to 48.6%. http://m.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/19/1163009/-Daily-Kos-Elections-presidential-results-by-congressional-district-for-the-2012-2008-elections
This will be a very competitive special election. If Young’s widow, Beverley, runs (she said prior to her husband’s death that if her husband’s 2012 Dem opponent, Jessica Ehrlich, ran in 2014 , that she would run against her), and I would think that the widow would clear the GOP field for the special and beat the Democrat (even 2012 Dem gubernatorial nominee Alex Sink, who, like Ehrlich, announced a 2014 run last week). But if Beverley Young doesn’t run, the GOP has a pretty good announced candidate in former state rep Larry Crow. There’s also an openly gay, carpetbagging RINO named Nick Zoller who is seeking the seat—the guy moved to FL just a couple of years ago and he brags about working on the campaigns to elect or reelecti Lisa Murkowski, Saxby Chambliss and Scott Brown to the Senate (I guess that he was too busy to help out Susan Collins or Mark Kirk). So if the widow doesn’t run, Crow should be the man (barring someone else jumping in).
Yes, running the widow or the same-named son might be the best bet. The excitement Dems have had of taking this seat should be squelched. It is, at best for the Dems, marginal, and remains FL’s premier historic GOP district (since 1955, albeit with modifications and much smaller in area). Zero barely carried it against a weak (ringer) opponent, and it appears more comfortable with Republicans locally.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/even-rep-cw-bill-youngs-wife-surprised-by-retirement/2146418
Having read this article, I learned a bit more about her. I didn’t realize this was his second wife, and she’s only 57. She’s already a fiery veterans activist and could jump into the seat and hit the ground running. She’d immediately become one of our most colorful members.