No. 1 on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians: Chad Chronister

It only took Hillsborough County’s top police officer about seven years to land in the coveted No. 1 spot on this list. For Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, as far as this particular accolade is concerned, there’s only one thing left to do: stay here.

Following his No. 3 recognition last year, Chronister has now bested all of his fellow politicos in the Tampa Bay region, through a combination of aggressive — and impressive — fundraising, fearless politicking, working across the aisle when needed, and sticking to his law enforcement and public safety bona fides when appropriate.

“Hillsborough County could not be more fortunate to have such a tirelessly hardworking Sheriff,” said Amanda Stewart, co-founder of the firm Johnston & Stewart.

“His passion and drive is fueled by his commitment to the safety of our community. He is kind and generous but steadfast in his pursuit for justice. He has earned a place at the very top of this list and we are proud to represent him and the powerful team he has assembled at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.”

Chronister’s rise has been almost meteoric, landing first on this list near the bottom, at No. 23, but climbing steadily since: to No. 16, then No. 9 and No. 7, before cracking the Top 5 last year.

It’s no wonder.

“I first met Chad when he was starting out as a deputy on the street,” Corcoran Partners Managing Partner Matthew Blair said.

“I can tell you firsthand Chad is one of the kindest and most genuine people you are ever going to meet. Few people know just how generous he and Nikki (Chronister’s wife) are and have been to so many people in our community. I’ve never known Chad to wait to be asked to help. When he sees a need, he just steps in and helps.”

The Hillsborough Sheriff — the only Republican to hold a constitutional office in Hillsborough County despite an otherwise red shift in the county over the past year and a half — announced his re-election campaign in January, then promptly raised nearly $2 million in less than three months afterward.

Chronister’s Finance Chair, Stuart Lasher, attributed the fundraising success to Chronister’s “widespread political appeal to residents young and adult” and “from diverse backgrounds and experiences.”

And that sentiment tracks across audiences.

“Sheriff Chad Chronister exemplifies exceptional leadership and dedication to the safety and well-being of our community,” said Ashley Bauman, a communications strategist who typically works with Democrats.

“His proactive and innovative approach to law enforcement, commitment to transparency, and focus on community engagement have set a high standard for public service. Sheriff Chronister’s dedication to justice and public safety through rehabilitation has significantly and positively impacted Hillsborough County.”

Chronister was appointed in 2017 by then-Gov. Rick Scott and subsequently re-elected in 2018 and again in 2020. So far this cycle, he faces a familiar foe in Democrat Gary Pruitt. This election will be the third time the two have faced each other at the ballot box. Chronister dispensed with Pruitt in 2018 with nearly 55% of the vote and again in 2020 in addition to besting no-party candidate, Ron McMullen.

Chronister raised more than a half-million dollars for his official 2020 re-election campaign and more than $800,000 for his first election in 2018. That brought his spending capacity in both cycles to well over $1 million. His longtime political adviser, Anthony Pedicini, told Florida Politics last year that the Hillsborough Sheriff once raised $1 million in just one night.

“Chad Chronister’s unsurprising rise to becoming the most influential Tampa Bay politician has no doubt to do with the manner in which he’s navigated the changing and often tumultuous Hillsborough County electorate,” Pedicini said Anthony Pedicini.

“As Chronister transformed the area’s largest law enforcement agency into a modern, intelligence-led police force, he’s also quietly maneuvered in state politics to make significant changes to major policies affecting law enforcement and its officers.”

His prominence in Tampa Bay area politics also comes because of — or to some, in spite of — bold moves Chronister has taken to protect public safety.

Worrying criminals were not being prosecuted for their crimes, Chronister supported Gov. Ron DeSantis’ removal of former Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren. Some saw it as a surprising move by Chronister, who is known for defying partisanship, reaching across the aisle and building meaningful relationships that transcend party loyalty. Agree with him or not, Chronister’s decision in that case was based not on politics, but on his commitment to public safety.

Chronister’s support for DeSantis’ decision came as a shock to many who saw the Sheriff and Warren as allies who worked together on various projects aimed at giving nondangerous first-time offenders a second shot. But after he hosted DeSantis at a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) property, Chronister stood up for — as he always does — what he believed to be the right thing.

While he told the Tampa Bay Times in an interview after the controversial suspension that he appreciated Warren’s passion for criminal justice, he was troubled by his pledges not to pursue certain crimes. DeSantis said he suspended Warren based on promises not to prosecute violations of the state’s restrictive abortion ban or ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

So, months later, in a bold move, Chronister doubled down by backing Warren’s successor, Suzy Lopez, as she sought election following her appointment to the office.

It will be months more before it becomes clear whether those choices will affect Chronister at the ballot box — he could bleed support from Warren supporters who previously supported the Sheriff. But what is clear is that Chronister’s dedication to acting with his conscience, without regard necessarily to political expediency, is among the reasons his support has remained so strong despite polarization in almost every other sector of American politics.

And his brand of leadership is paying dividends. Crime in Hillsborough is down 15%, inmates at the county jail have access to the largest mental health facility in the state and Chronister launched this year a new program training inmates for jobs — vocational or those that require college-level classes — after they’ve completed their sentences. It’s a strategy that aids in reducing recidivism.

Chronister’s support goes way back, too.

He played a crucial role in the pandemic’s early days serving on the now-defunct Emergency Policy Group, which was tasked with setting policy on the pandemic.

While he mostly followed the law enforcement perspective on how to enforce policy proposals, he prioritized duty over the politicization of COVID-19. Chronister directed deputies to arrest Brandon pastor Rodney Howard-Browne for continuing to hold crowded in-person services at The River at Tampa Bay church in violation of the county’s then stay-at-home order.

That same year, he also directed the high-profile firing of a 21-year HCSO veteran. Chronister not only fired the deputy for pointing a gun at a suspect’s head, but he also had him arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

While those are two older examples of Chronister putting honor and duty above political pandering, they remain relevant, particularly because Chronister manages to avoid any of the more recent negative light on local law enforcement, namely problems plaguing Tampa Police leadership.

“Chronister is guided by an instinct to simply do what he was elected to do: enforce our laws. A job which he has done so effectively, Hillsborough County has seen a double-digit drop in crime despite historic population growth,” Pedicini said.

He also noted the Sheriff’s fundraising abilities, which shows just how much support Chronister has behind him.

“He’s raised over $3,000,000 for his 2024 Election effort from nearly 2,000 individuals. He routinely holds fundraisers for other politicians like Sen. Rick Scott, the man who first appointed him back in 2017. But the best thing about Sheriff Chronister as a political operator is that he’s never afraid to spend his political capital or cash to help his allies or his friends,” Pedicini said.

“Spend 10 minutes listening to Chronister speak about his role, his agency or his love for Tampa Bay, and you’ll know why he finds himself on this list of the most influential politicians in Tampa Bay.”

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Methodology

We define the Tampa Bay region as Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, but can also include Hernando, Polk or Sarasota — if the politicians from those counties impact either Pinellas or Hillsborough.

We define a politician as being in office or running for office.

Being first on a panelist’s list earns the politician 25 points, second earns them 24 points and so on, to where being listed 25th earns a politician one point. Points are added and, voilà, we have a list.

Special thanks go to our experienced and knowledgeable panelists, who were essential to developing the 2024 list: Christina Barker of the Vinik Family Office, Ashley Bauman of Mercury, Matthew Blair of Corcoran Partners, Ed Briggs of RSA Consulting, political consultant Maya Brown, Ricky Butler of the Pinellas Co. Sheriff’s Office, Reggie Cardozo of The Public Square, Ronald Christaldi of Schumaker, Ana Cruz of Ballard Partners, Justin Day of Capital City Consulting, Barry Edwards, Joe Farrell of Pinellas Realtors, pollster Matt Florell of Vicidial Group, Shawn Foster of Sunrise Consulting Group, Adam Giery of Strategos Group, political consultant Max Goodman, Mike Griffin of Savills, Natalie King of RSA Consulting, political consultant Benjamin Kirby, TECO Energy Regional Affairs Coordinator Shannon Love, Merritt Martin of Moffitt Cancer Center, Mike Moore of The Southern Group, political consultant Anthony Pedicini, Ron Pierce of RSA Consulting, J.C. Pritchett, pastor of St. Pete’s Faith Church, Darren Richards of Tucker/Hall, Preston Rudie of Catalyst Communications Group, Amanda Stewart of Johnston and Stewart, and Alan Suskey of Shumaker Advisors. With Michelle and Peter Schorsch.