Janelle Irwin Taylor
Alen Tomczak, a Republican running for Florida House District 66 to replace outgoing incumbent Rep. Nick DiCeglie, nabbed an endorsement Tuesday from retired Air Force Lt. Col. Jerry Lavely.
The endorsement comes as Tomczak, an Army reservist, prepares to deploy with the Army National Guard at the end of the month. Tomczak currently works as a technical lead at Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base.
“Alen has my complete and total support for Florida House of Representatives. At this pivotal time in history, we need professionals like Alen to represent the citizens in this great state of Florida, not ambitious politicians,” Lavely said in a statement.
“As a retired career military officer, I can attest that Alen’s National Guard service, currently as an Infantry Captain, will represent the countless veterans in his district, as well as the many law enforcement officers and first responders who make up the backbone of our community. Alen stands out as a leader of the Guardian Class who protects our security and freedoms, and he has my vote to lead his district in Tallahassee.”
Lavely graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and has served in the Air Force for more than two decades, including more than 3,000 hours as an instructor pilot and mission commander. He served as the National Reconnaissance Office representative to U.S. Special Operations Command.
Lavely is also known in the military community as a valued veterans advocate and serves on the Veterans Advisory Council for Florida Congressional Districts 12 and 13, as a board member for the Tampa Bay Veterans Alliance, and as a founding member of the Pinellas County/Bay Pines MYVA Community Advisory Board.
“I am honored to receive this amazing endorsement from Lt. Col. Lavely. Our campaign is built on supporting the veterans, teachers, families, and more that make Pinellas County so great,” Tomczak said. “Local leaders in Pinellas County understand the issues we face better than anyone, and this endorsement is a testament to the impact that our campaign has had on the local community.”
Tomczak faces former Bay News 9 conservative commentator Berny Jacques in the GOP Primary in HD 66. No Democrat has yet filed for the race.
The red district covers parts of northwest Pinellas County, including Clearwater Beach south to Indian Shores.
HD 66 has a conservative advantage, with nearly 50,000 registered Republican voters to just over 38,000 Democrats. The district also includes nearly 34,000 independent voters.
Tomczak is currently seeking his master’s degree in strategic intelligence from the University of South Florida and serves as an infantry captain in the Army National Guard’s new Security Force Assistance Brigade, specializing in conducting training and advising on operations with allied nations.
Tomczak is a lifelong member of the community he seeks to serve, having graduated from Seminole High School and attended St. Petersburg College and USF.
