Aaron Bean earns backing of Florida Retail Federation

Republican Sen. Aaron Bean, who faces challengers on all sides in his 2018 re-election bid, got a boost Thursday by way of an endorsement from the Florida Retail Federation.

The retail trade group highlighted the Fernandina Beach lawmaker’s help voting down a bill to increase the “felony threshold limit” — the value of goods an individual must steal before they can be charged with felony theft.

“Senator Bean’s support of Sunshine State retailers has been instrumental particularly in fighting to ensure the felony threshold wasn’t raised and expanding access to healthcare to help protect Florida families,” said FRF President/CEO R. Scott Shalley. “Our members are appreciative of the Senators’ efforts, and we know we can count on his continued support when he returns to the Florida Senate.”

The FRF endorsement also touted Bean’s background in elected office as well as his public service, including holding a board seat with the First Coast YMCA, Big Brothers & Big Sisters and the United Way.

Challenging Bean for the District 4 seat this year are Democrat Billie Bussard, Republican Carlos Slay and Libertarian Joanna Liberty Tavares.

When it comes to Bussard and Tavares, Bean has SD 4’s heavy Republican tilt in his corner. When it comes to Slay, who went negative from the jump, Bean is looking to out-campaign him the old-fashioned way — door knocking and fundraising.

Bean is in good shape on the fundraising front. As of May 31, he had more than $100,000 banked for his campaign with another $72,000 at the ready in his affiliated political committee. None of his opponents have posted a campaign finance report.

Drew Wilson

Drew Wilson covers legislative campaigns and fundraising for Florida Politics. He is a former editor at The Independent Florida Alligator and business correspondent at The Hollywood Reporter. Wilson, a University of Florida alumnus, covered the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current prior to joining Florida Politics.


One comment

  • Ben Martin

    June 22, 2018 at 11:05 am

    Senator Bean receives significant campaign donations from Banks, Corporate Prisons, Pharmaceutical Companies, and also the Gunster Law Firm. The Gunster Law Firm is a white collar criminal defense law firm that has been paid questionable fees from the account established by a dead veteran’s last will and testament. Those fees appear to be completely bogus. All voters should start the practice of investigating who it is that makes contributions to America’s Federal and State political leaders. In this golden age of information it is an easy thing to do. If the American public does not become better informed, before you know it the taxpayer will bail out America’s privately owned banking system for their failed private business enterprise. And thousand of Wells Fargo employees will engage in the criminal behavior of creating a million or more false accounts – with no criminal prosecutions. Look into things at the Federal level and you will discover that the majority of US senators on the banking committee that investigated Wells Fargo received donations from Wells Fargo. That includes both Democrats and Republicans. If the American public does not wake up before you know it cash will be eliminated and negative interest rates will be imposed along with who knows what fees? Once cash is eliminated you will have no way to remove your money from the banking system. The time has come to boot the bankers from public office. Who would disagree?

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