Ross qualifying through petition

Republican congressional candidate Dennis Ross, running for the central Florida seat being vacated by Agirculture Commissioner candidate Adam Putnam, has begun submitting qualifying signatures and says he plans to get on the ballot that way, rather than paying. A little more than 4,500 signatures are required to qualify, and Ross says he's submitted more than 3,500 already. “While we could easily buy a spot on the November ballot, I firmly believe that interacting with tens of thousands of voters, explaining who I am and what I stand for, is the way to earn support,” Ross said in a release. Campaign manager Fred Piccolo predicted Ross wold qualify before April. The District 12 race has drawn seven candidates. Through Sept. 30, the two who have shown the most promise in terms of financial support are Ross and Democrat Lori Edwards.