Gray Rohrer
Andrew Warren, a Democrat whom Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended as Hillsborough County State Attorney, will run to get his old position back after all.
“Today, I’m running for election as State Attorney to serve the people — all the people — of Hillsborough County,” Warren says in a video he posted on X. “I’m running to keep our neighborhoods safe. I’m running to fight for victims and to make our criminal justice system better.”
On Jan. 8, Warren announced he wouldn’t seek re-election, reasoning that even if he won, DeSantis would just suspend him again. But two days later, a federal appeals court ruled DeSantis violated Warren’s First Amendment rights when he suspended him and sent the case back to a lower court.
DeSantis has appealed that ruling to the full 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, leaving Warren in limbo and facing an upcoming deadline on whether to get in the race. Florida’s qualifying week for State Attorney elections starts next week, ending at noon on April 26.
DeSantis suspended Warren in August 2022, mainly for signing a pledge not to prosecute abortion-related crimes in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned Roe v. Wade, erasing the right to an abortion.
Suzy Lopez, a Hillsborough County Judge, was DeSantis’ pick to replace Warren. In the video, Warren slams Lopez, saying her only qualification was her “blind allegiance” to DeSantis.
Warren was first elected in 2016 and was reelected in 2020 by Hillsborough County voters.
“Ron DeSantis threw out your vote. He illegally forced me from office under armed guard,” Warren stated. “I’m running to protect our values, for a woman’s right to choose, for a fair and just system, and — above all — for freedom and democracy.”
Monique Worrell, a Democratic Orange County State Attorney whom DeSantis also suspended, is running for re-election as well. Both will have the backing of the Florida Democratic Party (FDP).
“Andrew Warren is a fighter, and Hillsborough’s only duly elected State Attorney,” FDP Chair Nikki Fried said in a released statement. “We welcome his decision to run for re-election and stay in the fight to return as Hillsborough State Attorney. That decision is now rightfully in the hands of voters, not Ron DeSantis.”
7 comments
Michael Paris
April 16, 2024 at 10:37 am
He’s a loser. Hillsborough is way better off without him. The cops and the prosecutors hate him. But hey, the criminals love him so there is that.
Have you polled “the criminals”? I guess they are ones who elected him the first time? Right.
April 16, 2024 at 9:30 pm
Absurd
Joe
April 17, 2024 at 7:10 pm
What did he lose exactly? Surely not the election. But yeah, keep on siding with Floriduh kkkops, foxbrain.
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 16, 2024 at 7:10 pm
Good evening Florida,
Look at his eyes you can tell hes been possessed by the Demonic George Soros.
Thank you Florida,
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
April 17, 2024 at 12:53 pm
SPHINCTER MAN, george soros is a demon. wow, i thought he was a successful businessman that wasn’t under dozens of criminal indictments. you must be a nut for saying something so crazy. maybe you meant democrat instead of demon. i know that for a soon to be 83 year old, you are going to make lots of errors, so i understand that. no, that’s not it, you are just a garden variety ahole.
ScienceBLVR
April 16, 2024 at 7:51 pm
If DeSantis fired him, he must have been doing something right! And come on, this play was pure, “ Gee, I want to be president@DeSantis,” politics. I’m next door in Pinellas, so can’t vote for him, but I sure support Warren and democracy.. a vote is a vote, even if you live in
Hillsborough county.
KathrynA
April 17, 2024 at 3:42 pm
I would instantly vote for Rick Warren if I lived in Hillsborough County–a man duly and fairly elected and ejected by DeSantis for no reason as the courts have since shown. What a sham by the Florida Governor and his party. This was so wrong!