Sandy Adams, an Orlando Republican, was first elected to the House in 2002. She has drawn on her experience as a sheriff's deputy to become one of the Legislature's true experts on public-safety issues. Last year, she took the lead in the House on passing Gov. Charlie Crist's law to throw parole violators in jail.

As a priority in this campaign, she has embraced the daunting but important challenge of reforming the state's dysfunctional juvenile-justice system. She is knowledgeable on a range of other issues and is attentive to her constituents.

Her opponent, Democrat Robert Acosta, is an Orlando real-estate agent. He has extensive experience working in government and politics, mainly outside of Florida. He is well-spoken and civic-minded, but he can't make a convincing case for District 33 voters to unseat Ms. Adams.

The Sentinel endorses Sandy Adams in District 33.