Drew Wilson
Republican Reps. Danny Perez and Sam Garrison on Tuesday endorsed Rep. Jim Mooney’s 2022 re-election bid.
“Jim Mooney is an invaluable member of the South Florida delegation and a rock-solid advocate for addressing the most critical issues facing our state,” Perez said. “Florida needs representatives that understand how to balance keeping our economy growing and protecting our environment. Jim Mooney has a ‘think local first’ mentality he brings to every decision he helps craft in Tallahassee that will continue to serve his community well.”
Garrison added, “Jim Mooney is a friend, a fighter, and thoughtful leader that will continue to make Monroe and South Miami-Dade County a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Jim has fought some tough battles in Tallahassee and beyond the millions of dollars he has brought home to address the unique needs of his community, Jim has earned the support of our caucus by being honest, thoughtful, and all-in for Florida.”
Perez and Garrison are both in line to become House Speaker — Perez following the 2024 election and Garrison following the 2026 election. Their endorsements come shortly after Mooney earned a nod from House Speaker-designate Paul Renner, who is set to take the gavel in November.
Renner also chairs the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee, the primary fundraising arm to support GOP House campaigns.
“The Keys and South Miami-Dade are the best place to live, and people like Speaker-designate Renner, and Reps. Perez and Garrison are helping me make it even better,” Mooney said in a news release.
“Florida has great leaders, and I am fortunate to work among individuals who are committed to leaving Florida off better than they found it for generations to come. I look forward to continuing to earn the support of my colleagues in the House, and most importantly my neighbors in District 120.”
Mooney is seeking a second term representing HD 120 which includes all of Monroe County and parts of South Miami-Dade County. Currently, he is one of five candidates running for HD 120. He faces Robert Allen and Rhonda Rebman Lopez in the Republican Primary. Adam Gentle and Daniel Horton-Diaz are competing for the Democratic nomination.
Mooney faced Rebman Lopez in the 2020 Republican Primary, securing a narrow victory. Earlier this month, she launched her 2022 campaign by attacking the incumbent as “unenthusiastic” and claiming she has received numerous complaints about Mooney’s performance in his first term.
The endorsements from House Republican leadership serve as a counter to the attack and indicate Mooney could receive financial backup from the well-funded political committee Renner chairs — at the end of March, FHRCC had more than $3.3 million banked.
Through April, Mooney had about $130,000 on hand in his campaign account and another $14,000 on hand in his affiliated political committee, Friends of Jim Mooney.
