Kelly Hayes
Attorney General Ashley Moody has endorsed House District 65 candidate Adam Anderson in his bid to succeed House Speaker Chris Sprowls.
Moody credited her endorsement to Anderson’s support for law enforcement.
“Adam Anderson is a local leader who will support our men and women in law enforcement and make public safety a top priority. Adam’s commitment to the rule of law makes him a perfect choice to keep our neighborhoods safe and protect the progress we’ve made in reducing crime,” Moody said in a statement. “I’m proud to endorse him for state Representative and I look forward to working with him to make Florida the safest state in the nation.”
Anderson has continued to rack up endorsements, most recently garnering support from the entire Pinellas County GOP delegation, which includes Sens. Jeff Brandes and Ed Hooper, as well as Reps. Nick DiCeglie and Chris Latvala. Sprowls has also backed Anderson as his successor.
“Attorney General Moody is a true friend to our law enforcement and first responder community and through her hard work our state is leading the nation in the fight against human trafficking and the opioid epidemic that plagues communities throughout our country,” Anderson said in a statement. “I’m so honored to have the support of someone so committed to the safety and security of our state and I look forward to working with her to protect North Pinellas for years to come.”
Freshmen Reps. Linda Linda Chaney and Traci Koster are also supporting Anderson, along with Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
The early endorsements from major players indicate Anderson is likely the preferred choice for the area’s GOP political class and could discourage other Republicans from jumping into the race, a move that would help Anderson avoid a potentially costly Primary.
So far, just one other candidate is in the race, Democrat Kelly Lynn Johnson. According to the most recent voter tabulation with the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, HD 65 carries a nearly 13,000 voter advantage for the GOP, with 52,670 registered Republicans to just 38,172 registered Democrats.
