Drew Wilson
The Florida Chamber of Commerce endorsed 40 candidates in competitive Primary races this cycle and 37 of them came out on top after the polls closed.
Most of the Florida Chamber’s Primary endorsements were for state legislative seats, however, the pro-business group also endorsed Senate President Wilton Simpson for Agriculture Commissioner. Simpson soundly defeated his challenger in the statewide Republican Primary for the Cabinet post.
“Congratulations to the 92% of Florida Chamber pro-jobs candidates who won their primary races,” said Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber. “Keeping Florida competitive is essential to growing Florida to a top 10 global economy by 2030. As we unite business for good, we trust those elected will champion free enterprise, job creation and keep us moving in the right direction.”
One of the three races the Chamber wasn’t ready to add to its W list on Tuesday went their way as well. As of Wednesday afternoon, Islamorada Republican Rep. Jim Mooney is leading Key Largo businesswoman Rhonda Rebman Lopez by 88 votes in the GOP nominating contest for House District 120.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce endorsed over 100 state legislative candidates and has backed many of them with financial resources and voter education efforts. Many of those candidates were unopposed in the Primary and will face their true test in November.
The Florida Chamber is now gearing up for the General Election and has developed tools such as an exclusive voter file, ChamberHub, that is tracking and analyzing these trends for Chamber members. The effort has taken on greater importance with the state adding more than 1 million new registered since the 2020 General Election.
“It is essential for the right things to keep happening in Florida, and that begins with having the right people elected to the Florida Legislature,” said Florida Chamber Political Council Chair Tracy Duda Chapman. “A united Florida business community and pro-jobs elected candidates working tirelessly to pass the right policy is the way we will further grow and diversify Florida’s economy.”
Florida Chamber Executive Vice President of Government & Political Relations Frank Walker added, “Thank you to our Florida Chamber members for their continued help in recruiting and electing pro-jobs candidates and congratulations to these candidates for their success. The Chamber will continue to unify Florida business for good, and we look forward to working with these legislators who have won their District seats for the coming years and further supporting those who will be on the ballot in the November General election.”
The Florida Chamber was proud to stand alongside the following Chamber-backed election winners, putting its near 150 years of combined political experience behind supporting them in the months and sometimes years preceding this election.
The full list of Primary winners who received the Chamber’s endorsement is below.
Agriculture Commissioner:
— Senate President Wilton Simpson
Florida Senate:
— District 1: Sen. Doug Broxson
— District 2: Jay Trumbull
— District 7: Sen. Travis Hutson
— District 10: Sen. Jason Brodeur
— District 20: Sen. Jim Boyd
— District 22: Sen. Joe Gruters
Florida House:
— District 1: Rep. Michelle Salzman
— District 2: Rep. Alex Andrade
— District 3: Joel Rudman
— District 6: Griff Griffitts
— District 8: Gallop Franklin
— District 15: Dean Black
— District 17: Jessica Baker
— District 20: Rep. Bobby Payne
— District 22: Rep. Chuck Clemons
— District 23: Rep. Ralph Massullo
— District 30: Chase Tramont
— District 34: Robert Brackett
— District 35: Rep. Fred Hawkins
— District 36: Rachel Plakon
— District 37: Susan Plasencia
— District 38: Rep. David Smith
— District 41: Bruce Antone
— District 50: Jennifer Canady
— District 51: Rep. Josie Tomkow
— District 52: John Temple
— District 53: Jeff Holcomb
— District 55: Kevin Steele
— District 56: Brad Yeager
— District 68: Rep. Lawrence McClure
— District 77: Tiffany Esposito
— District 87: Rep. Mike Caruso
— District 113: Vicki Lopez
— District 118: Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin
— District 119: Juan Carlos Porras
