Drew Wilson
The first candidate has filed for what could soon be a special election to replace Zephyrhills Republican Rep. Danny Burgess.
Dade City Republican Randy Maggard on Thursday filed his paperwork to run for Pasco County’s House District 38. Burgess is expected to be confirmed as the next head of the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs which would trigger Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis to call a special election.
Maggard was appointed to the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board in October 2011. In May 2016, he was elected board chair.
The Dade City native, a graduate of Zephyrhills High School and Pasco-Hernando Community College, has also served on the Zephyrhills Economic Development Board and is a former chair of the Pasco County Republican Party.
Professionally, he works as the vice president of Sonny’s Discount Appliances, a position he has held for more than 30 years.
Maggard is currently listed as a candidate for the 2020 election cycle, though his paperwork will likely be amended if Burgess becomes
Last week, DeSantis recommended Burgess for the top spot at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. DeSantis’ recommendation came a week after news broke that Burgess was interviewing for the executive branch position.
The third-term state representative is a U.S. Army Reserve captain who has a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and Meritorious Service Medal. Burgess, 32, also sits on the House’s Veteran & Military Affairs Subcommittee, Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, Local & Federal Affairs Committee and the Rulemaking Oversight & Repeal Subcommittee.
HD 38 covers southeastern Pasco County and leans Republican. In 2014, Burgess succeeded former House Speaker Will Weatherford, who was recently tapped to chair the DeSantis transition’s economic advisory panel.
Burgess didn’t face a Democratic challenger this year and he easily defeated unaffiliated candidate David “TK” Hayes on Election Day to win his third term in the House.
