Ryan RayRepublican Mary Thomas will announce her candidacy for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District on Wednesday at the Florida Press Center in Tallahassee, according to a news release.
A first-generation American, Thomas — “a mom, a wife, an attorney, a first-generation American and a strong conservative” — would be the first Indian-American woman in Congress.
Thomas is seeking the GOP nomination in a seat almost certain to be significantly altered when the Legislature convenes Aug. 10 to redraw eight congressional districts, including North Florida’s 5th Congressional District.
That would likely split CD 2 in half, opening the door for a challenge to incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham.
Experts expect the reconstituted CD 2 to skew heavily Republican, about R+16 or so, though the presence of former “Dixiecrats” and former “Yellow dog” Democrats in the district still show Democrats with a registration advantage.
Thomas is a general counsel in the Department of Elder Affairs of the Gov. Rick Scott administration.
According to her website, Thomas has worked on a number of key issues of state and regional significance as a lawyer with the state including “negotiations regarding the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; developing strategies to protect the Apalachicola Bay from Georgia’s unchecked consumption of water … and helping to solve military base encroachment issues around the Panhandle’s military installations.”
The announcement is set for noon at the Press Center on 336 E. College Ave. in downtown Tallahassee.
