Adam Ross lands trio of constitutional officer endorsements

Adam Ross has received endorsements from three constitutional officers for the constitutional office he is seeking.

Pinellas County Clerk of Court Ken Burke, Public Defender Sara Mollo and Pinellas County Property Appraiser Mike Twitty have each offered their support for Ross in his bid for Pinellas County Tax Collector.

“Adam Ross exemplifies effective, steady and thoughtful leadership,” Burke said. “He has proven experience and a critical understanding of how the Pinellas constitutional offices serve local residents.”

Ross is a former Assistant State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco counties who now serves as Executive Director of the office.

He’s running to replace current Tax Collector Charles Thomas, who has already endorsed Ross as his preferred successor.

“Adam Ross is known for his professionalism, integrity and ethical conduct in all aspects of his work,” Mollo said. “His attention to detail, accuracy and compliance with legal requirements has earned him both the trust and respect of his colleagues and the community.”

Ross first became an Assistant State Attorney in 2011, and was hired in 2015 to hold the role under former State Attorney Bernie McCabe in the Sixth Judicial Circuit serving Pinellas and Pasco. During his tenure there, he brought more than 60 jury trials to verdict, including capital crimes. In his announcement Thursday, Ross said the experience provided valuable insight into the ways Pinellas families depend on local government for various services.

Ross was promoted in 2018 to Executive Director of the State Attorney’s Office. In that role, he supervises more than 400 employees and administers the agency’s nearly $50 million budget. He also helped create a new case management system that rapidly increased the office’s efficiency and saved taxpayers money.

Ross also currently serves as the Chair of the Pinellas County Republican Party, a position for which he was elected by GOP members in 2022. He said he is now running for Tax Collector because he believes his experience with budget management, personnel management and public service will help the Tax Collector’s Office continue to deliver on its commitment to families.

“Having known Adam Ross for many years, I know his leadership ability and professionalism will serve him and Pinellas County well as Tax Collector,” Twitty said. “He is a problem solver and critical thinker, and I know that the Tax Collector’s office will continue with excellence with him at the helm.”

All of the new endorsements come from registered Republicans, and they add to several nods he’s already received, including from Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, State Attorney Bruce Bartlett and former House Speaker Chris Sprowls.

“It is a tremendous honor to be endorsed by nearly every Pinellas constitutional officer,” Ross said. “These esteemed leaders serve an integral role in our community and ensure local government is always delivering on its responsibilities to Pinellas citizens. I look forward to working with each of them.”

Ross is so far the only candidate to announce a bid for the seat.