Jimmy Patronis endorses Griff Griffitts for HD 6

Philip "Griff" Griffitts

Bay County Commissioner Philip “Griff” Griffitts on Friday picked up an endorsement from CFO Jimmy Patronis in the race for House District 6.

HD 6 covers coastal Bay County, including Panama City, Lynn Haven and Mexico Beach. It also encompasses Panama City Beach, where Patronis is from and where his family operates a seafood restaurant, Captain Anderson’s.

“I endorse Griff Griffitts for state Representative and look forward to working with him in the Florida Legislature,” Patronis said in a news release. “I’ve known Griff and his wife, Laura, for over 40 years and have tremendous respect for his family and their contributions to Bay County through the decades. Knowing them as well as I do gives me absolute confidence in Griff’s commitment to the community and his ability to make a difference through his strong conservative leadership.”

Griffitts, a Republican, currently holds the District 5 seat on the County Commission. He has previously served as a commissioner on the Panama City Beach Civil Service Board, the Bay County Planning Commission, and the Bay County Tourist Development Council.

He is also a member of the Florida State-Panama City Foundation Development Board and has served as the chairman of the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce.

“The support of CFO Patronis is a great honor to me personally and reflects positively on the work of our campaign,” Griffitts said. “His service for our community is unparalleled and, because he has already represented this district well, I know I can learn a lot from him.  We are very proud to have a Bay County native in the Florida Cabinet, and I look forward to working with him in the years to come.”

Only one other candidate is currently in the HD 6 race, performing arts executive Brian Clowdus. Clowdus, also a Republican, was the founder and artistic director of the Serenbe Playhouse, once praised as a pioneering theater in Atlanta, before he was accused of overt racism.