Richard Gentry tops Republican field in HD 27 Primary

Richard Gentry.

Astor lawyer Richard Gentry came out on top of a three-candidate Republican Primary field in House District 27. He defeated Marion County business owner Stephen Shives and retired police lieutenant Beckie Sirolli.

Gentry won about 37% of the vote to Shives’ 33% and Sirolli’s 30%, with all votes in. The Republican nominee now advances to the General Election to face Democrat Andy Ferrari and Libertarian Dennis Simpson Jr.

Gentry collected several endorsements over the course of the campaign, including from every Sheriff in the district and from local firefighter unions. He also stressed his background advocating for consumers and the state’s ratepayers before the Public Service Commission. That could be an especially valuable background as the Legislature looks to address a homeowners insurance crisis.

“Now, more than ever, Floridians need an advocate to protect their purses as well as their values. I will be that conservative voice,” he said.

Shives, meanwhile, focused on cultural issues. The Summerfield Republican, who owns trailer manufacturer Runaway Mini-Campers, said his background as a business owner gave him an understanding on managing state resources. A look at his campaign website details support for gun rights and opposition to a “woke agenda.”

“Today, what is evil is considered good, and what is good is considered evil,” his website stated. “I am not going down without a fight, and with your help, we can take a stand against a nation that is hell-bent on destroying itself.”

Sirolli said her law enforcement background set her apart. She was trained by Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Litz, an officer killed on duty during a wellness check in 2004. While that gave a clear understanding of the stakes that police face, she said Litz also taught her to believe in herself and how to succeed in a field where many questioned her participation.

That helped as she faced pressure to bow out based on concerns that she would split the vote, she said.

“It’s not always a Ross Perot situation,” she countered. “The people who vote for me weren’t going to vote for either one of you guys.”

Shives pushed back at rumors himself, sharing testimony from former church members to counter suggestions that he had stolen from Lighthouse Ministries in South Carolina. He also came under fire for being the only legislative candidate in Florida to accept a contribution from a political committee that only endorses men running against women and that exists under the belief that women should not hold positions of power.

Gentry, meanwhile, was cast as a Tallahassee insider over the course of the race. Despite years in the role of a public advocate defending against utility rate hikes, he accepted funding from a number of lobbies associated with power providers.

But political connections also helped him raise the most in contributions for his campaign.

Through Aug, 15, Gentry spent more than $271,000, with his Friends of Richard Gentry burning through another nearly $12,000.

Shives, by comparison, spent about $125,000 from his campaign account, with almost $100,000 of that supplemented by a candidate loan.

Sirolli has more than $16,000, about a third of that out-of-pocket.

Looking forward, the district leans heavily Republican. McClain faced no opposition the last time he was up for vote in 2022. More than 70% of voters in HD 27 backed re-election efforts by Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. Ron DeSantis, and more than 65% of voters there in 2020 voted for Republican Donald Trump for President over Democrat Joe Biden.