Staff Reports
Three Leon County officials are throwing their support behind Gwen Graham.
Leon County Commissioners John Dailey and Kristin Dozier, and Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor Tabitha Frazier have endorsed Graham for governor, her campaign announced Tuesday. In a statement, Graham said she was “proud to have the support” of the local leaders, and pledged to support “elected officials on all levels to diversify our economy, invest in our schools, and protect our land and water.”
Dailey has served in District 3 since 2006, and currently serves as the chairman of the board. Dailey said he got to know Graham while she was working for the local school district.
“She fought to find common ground and solutions to the challenges we faced, while always putting our children first,” he said in a statement. “She’ll bring that same approach to state government and work with cities and counties to get things done.”
Elected in 2010, Dozier represents District 5 on the Leon County Board of County Commissioners. She served a stint as chairwoman of the board for 2013-14.
“Gwen understands that to diversify Florida’s economy in the 21st Century, we must start by investing in education, from technical training in middle schools to robust community college programs,” said Dozier, who spearheaded the Domi Station incubator project in Tallahassee, in a statement. “As governor, Gwen will partner with local leaders to develop job training and create good-paying careers.”
Frazier, an environmental activist, said she was backing Graham because she “understands the environmental issues Florida is facing and genuinely listens to all the people she represents.”
“The North Florida farmers I work with as a Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor credit Gwen for taking the time to learn about and work on the issues affecting them on her Workdays and during her Farm Tour,” she said in a statement. “To meet Gwen is to love Gwen. She is passionate about protecting Florida’s environment while creating opportunities for its citizens. She has the ability, perseverance, and intelligence to be the honest change we need here in Florida and to bring a Democrat back to the Governor’s Mansion.”
Graham, a former congresswoman and the daughter of former governor and Sen. Bob Graham, is one of three Democrats running for governor in 2018. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Orlando businessman Chris King have also thrown their hats in the race.
