The Osceola County Republican Committee has selected Mike La Rosa to replace State Rep. Mike Horner in the Nov. 6 election.

The committee met Saturday morning at the Omni Hotel in Champions Gate to hold deliberations and interviews with the potential replacements.

The House District 42 seat encompasses parts of Osceola and Polk counties.

According to officials, state executive committee members from the two counties decided who will run against Democrat Eileen Game in November.

Officials said 18 applicants qualified to be candidates for the replacement. Friday night the committee selected five of those to be considered at the meeting on Saturday.

Mike Horner announced his decision not to run for re-election after it was reported that his name was on a list of clients from a suspected brothel in east Orange County.

Horner was expected to win re-election.

Because of the timing of his withdrawal from the race, Horner's name will still appear on the ballot, along with a note listing La Rosa as the new candidate, and explaining that Horner is not a candidate.