Drew Wilson
Alex Andrade announced Friday that he had filed paperwork to run as a Republican in House District 2, making him the first GOP candidate to file for the seat since freshman Rep. Frank White announced he would run for Attorney General rather than re-election.
Andrade, of Gulf Breeze, described himself as a conservative Republican in the press release announcing his bid, and said he’s looking to continue implementing the “conservative principles” of Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-controlled Legislature, which he credits for Florida’s Great Recession rebound over the past eight years.
“I’m running for the State House of Representatives because I have a passion to serve my community and stand up for those conservative principles that have made Florida the greatest state in the country,” Andrade said. “I believe the voters of District 2 are looking for someone focused on reducing the size and scope of government and making the state a stronger and more prosperous place for generations to come.
“I look forward to sharing my vision for the future with each and every voter,” he added.
The Moore, Hill & Westmoreland attorney is a two-time alumnus of the University of Florida, earning both his bachelor’s degree and J.D. from the state’s flagship school.
During his time at UF’s Levin College of Law he served as President of the Trial Team and Chief Justice of the UF Supreme Court, earning himself a slot on the UF Student Affairs Hall of Fame in 2014 via a vote by a committee including faculty, staff, and two hall-of-famers.
HD 2 voters may not get as far into the weeds with the conservative principles Andrade touts, but they certainly favor Republicans when it comes time to head to the polls. The district, which covers Santa Rosa County and part of Escambia, is one of the more advantageous House seats for GOP candidates.
According to voter registration statistics from 2016, HD 2’s electorate is 48 percent Republicans and 33 percent Democrats, with the bulk of the rest holding no party affiliation.
When White ran to replace Republican Rep. Mike Hill last year, he won with 61 percent of the vote compared to about 39 percent for Democrat Ray Guillory.
Guillory got the same share as Democrat Hillary Clinton, who lost the district to President Donald Trump over 56-39 on the same day, with the bulk of “Never Trumpers” in HD 2 preferring to cast their ballot for Libertarian Gary Johnson rather than a Democrat. Johnson’s 3.5 percent score was his second highest among all House districts.
Guillory is taking another shot at the seat this year, and is currently the only other candidate in the race. Through the end of September, he had not raised any money for his campaign.
