Kelly Hayes
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is endorsing Danny Burgess for Senate District 20.
The Republican candidate was formerly the executive director of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, a position he stepped down from in June to run for Senate.
“To protect veterans, I have worked alongside Danny Burgess in Tallahassee. I am confident he will serve the citizens of Tampa Bay with the utmost commitment and distinction. He is a true servant leader,” Moody said in a news release.
The District 20 seat opened after Sen. Tom Lee announced his early resignation, making this a special election. Normally, the seat would not be up for election until 2022.
Shortly after, Burgess earned endorsements from Senate GOP leadership, including President-Designate Wilton Simpson and Senate Republican Leader Kathleen Passidomo. Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis added his support soon after.
“Now more than ever, we need proven leadership in Tallahassee working for Florida’s families,” Simpson said when he endorsed Burgess. “Danny has spent his entire adult life protecting the American people, fighting for Floridians and honoring our commitments to veterans who have bravely served our nation. I am proud to stand with Danny and look forward to doing great things for the people of Florida with him in the Senate.”
Lee’s withdrawal from the Senate left leadership with a quick scramble to identify a worthy-successor. Support rallied almost immediately.
“Danny is a true servant leader with a proven ability to effectively deliver on behalf of Floridians,” Passidomo said just hours after Lee announced he was resigning. “Time and again, he has demonstrated a keen ability to deliver for the people he serves and would be a welcomed addition to the Florida Senate.”
Burgess, a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, champions veterans’ rights as part of his platform. He formerly served three terms in the Florida House for District 38 after being elected in 2014.
The race has only one other candidate — Democrat Kathy Lewis, who ran against Lee for Senate in 2018. Lewis is a motivational speaker, writer and disability rights activist.
