Bill Posey retiring from Congress, backs former Senate President Mike Haridopolos as successor

Former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos has jumped into a race in Florida’s 8th Congressional District.

The surprise late entry came after U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, a Rockledge Republican, already qualified by petition to seek re-election. But Posey, shortly after Florida’s federal qualification deadline, announced he will suspend his campaign and endorse Haridopolos.

Shortly afterward, Haridopolos officially announced his campaign.

“I wish to thank our incredible Congressman Bill Posey for his faithful service to our community, state and nation,” Haridopolos said. “I will work every day to live up to his legacy of service and serve the people of District 8 with integrity and honor.”

Haridopolos laid out an agenda critical of Democratic President Joe Biden’s record, while proclaiming his support for former President Donald Trump to return to the White House.

“Our nation is facing unprecedented problems here at home and overseas,” he said. “Our Southern Border is in chaos. Illegal immigration is out of control. Higher prices are crushing our families and killing the American dream. It’s a mess, and we need leaders in Congress to stand up and fix it,”

Haridopolos, an Indian Harbour Beach Republican, served as Florida Senate President from 2010 to 2012. He has remained active in politics statewide and particularly on the Florida Atlantic Coast.

He said his experience in the Legislature well prepared him for Congress.

“I am no stranger to navigating legislative discord to get results for the people, and I pledge to bring my private sector and leadership experience to Washington, D.C. to get the job done,” he said. “As your Congressman, I will stand with President Trump and his America First Agenda.”

Posey said he has personally mentored Haridopolos to succeed him in Congress.

“I will continue to devote all possible resources to continue representing you through the end of my current term, helping President Donald Trump return to the oval office, and supporting former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, in whom I have the greatest trust and confidence, to take up my battles against the swamp and replace me as your Congressman,” Posey said.

Immediately after news broke of his candidacy, other endorsements started to pour in.

“Mike Haridopolos is an extraordinary leader with an incredible legislative mind,” posted state Rep. Randy Fine, a state Senate candidate, on X. “I am so excited to be first to endorse a fellow conservative to be my Congressman. No one could serve our community better.”

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis also weighed in. “Mike Haridopolos led the Florida Senate at a difficult time in Florida’s economy with Sen. Rick Scott as Governor,” Patronis posted. “Mike helped to get Florida back on its feet and we have been thriving ever since. Im proud to support my friend Mike Haridopolos for United States Congress.”

In 2021, he drew some attention for maintaining a Federal Election Commission account well after ending a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2011. As of the end of 2016, Friends of Mike H had nearly $893,000 in cash on hand. For years after his U.S. Senate campaign ended, he used the money to support various candidates he supported.

A federal campaign account can remain open so long as a candidate has a genuine interest in running for federal office in the future, and that moment appears to be now.

Haridopolos on April 26 filed to run for Congress roughly an hour before a noon deadline to jump in the race.

That immediately fueled speculation about Posey’s retirement, but that doesn’t mean a completely clear path to the House for Haridopolos.

Republicans Joe Babits and John Hearton both already qualified with the intent of challenging Posey in a Republican Primary.

Hearton closed the first quarter of 2024 with almost $99,000 in cash on hand, and had raised almost $260,000 over the course of the cycle. Babits raised a more modest $82,000 and had about $13,000 in cash at the end of March. Republican Brian Jones, who hadn’t qualified as of 11 a.m., finished the first quarter with more than $72,000 in the bank for a run.

Democrats Sandy Kennedy and Dan McDow, a West Melbourne City Councilman have already qualified for the ballot as well and will face each other in a Democratic Primary. McDow had about $9,200 in cash at the end of the quarter, while Kennedy has reported no fundraising to date.

“This race has always been about one thing and one thing only: Women’s health care,” McDow said. “Haridopolos is just as much a hard right extremist as Posey, he’s just younger and has better hair. I don’t care about his hair, I care about the health care of women in Florida and the fact that these abortion bans are endangering the health of women and girls.

“I will fight to guarantee access to appropriate healthcare and make sure the government isn’t interfering with private, medical decisions that are the purview of a woman and her health care provider.”

But CD 8 remains a heavily Republican seat. In the 2020 Presidential Election, about 58% of voters in the district voted for Republican Donald Trump.

In 2022, Posey easily won re-election over Democrat JoAnne Terry. Posey didn’t face a Primary challenger that year but won 62% of the vote against GOP opponent Scott Caine in a GOP Primary in 2020.