1976Final resultsIncumbent defeated
1976 Democratic primary for Florida House District 49
Florida House of Representatives · Florida
Gene Ready (D) won with 16.4% of the vote, defeating Wendell H. Watson (D) by 0.6 points.
Gene ReadyDemocrat · winner
16.4%17,825
Wendell H. WatsonDemocrat · incumbent
15.8%17,213
Beverly B. BurnsedDemocrat
12.2%13,245
C. Richard SargeantDemocrat
10.1%11,055
Eugene L. RobertsDemocrat
9.9%10,738
Bob CrawfordDemocrat
8.4%9,120
Leslie DunsonDemocrat
7.3%7,904
John G. Wood Jr.Democrat
5.2%5,667
John P. RogersDemocrat
5.0%5,471
Robert L. StephensonDemocrat
3.6%3,929
David B. HigginbottonDemocrat
3.4%3,685
Sam FlowersDemocrat
1.7%1,809
Charles TiffanyDemocrat
1.2%1,265
108,926 votes
Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET
The candidates
Gene Ready (D)Wendell H. Watson (D)Beverly B. Burnsed (D)C. Richard Sargeant (D)Eugene L. Roberts (D)Bob Crawford (D)Leslie Dunson (D)John G. Wood Jr. (D)John P. Rogers (D)
Also on the ballot: Robert L. Stephenson (Democrat), 3.6%; David B. Higginbotton (Democrat), 3.4%; Sam Flowers (Democrat), 1.7%; Charles Tiffany (Democrat), 1.2%