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Opposition to Florida’s controversial new election law continues to grow. Former Republican State Senator Nancy Argenziano filed her own lawsuit today, saying the new law takes away her right to run for congress as a Democrat. As Whitney Ray tells us, the law requires politicians to change their registration 17 months before the General Election.

Less than seven months before the 2010 General Election, Governor Charlie Crist left the Republican Party to run for Senate as an Independent.

By switching parties Crist avoided a primary against GOP favorite Marco Rubio. Crist ultimately lost, but his move to avoid the difficult primary, ticked off Republican lawmakers so much they changed the law.

Before this year candidates in Florida could change their party affiliation six months before the General Election. But in a 71 page bill, passed last session, the deadline to switch was moved to 17 months.

Caught in the mix is former Republican State Senator Nancy Argenziano. She wants to run for Congress as a Democrat, but it’s already too late. Friday she filed a lawsuit against the secretary of state, claiming the new law violates her rights.

“It’s a constitutional right that I believe I have, as well as you have and as well as the next guy,” said Argenziano.

Her predicament could have been avoided. In May of last year, Argenziano registered with the Independent Party, thinking she was registering with no party affiliation. If she were an NPA, switching wouldn’t be a problem.

“So what I decided to do, which I though was my right, is I would move to the Independent Party as a place holder,” said Argenziano.

The party switching provision is just one of 80 election law changes made by the legislature. And once it passed, candidates were given just two weeks to decide which party is theirs.

The provision is one of 76 in the new law already been cleared by the Department of Justice.