Ed Hooper lands easy re-election win in SD 21

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 2/10/22-Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, speaks during session, Thursday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Sen. Ed Hooper will serve another term in Senate District 21 after defeating Democratic challenger Doris Carroll with nearly 60% of the vote.

Hooper has notched two wins this year, both a breeze for the longtime lawmaker. In August, Hooper defeated John Siamas in the GOP Primary. Siamas self-funded his race with nearly $80,000, while Hooper raised more than $200,000 by the same point for his campaign and had nearly $1.5 million left in a political committee. He crushed Siamas, earning 84% of the vote.

Heading into the General Election, Hooper added another nearly $60,000 to his campaign, and ended with about $1.8 million on hand in his affiliated political committee, Friends of Ed Hooper.

Carroll raised less than $9,000 for her race. But that’s not surprising given the district’s big GOP slant. The district is heavily Republican, with nearly 41% of voters registered with the Republican Party, compared to just 27% for the Democratic Party, according to the most recent L2 voter data.

Hooper was first elected to the Senate in 2018. He’s in line to be the next Chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, an assignment that signals strength in the upper chamber, and allies in power.

Earlier this year, Hooper ranked at No. 10 on Florida Politics’ list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians, a list derived from votes among the top political operatives and insiders in the region and state.

Hooper introduced 20 bills in the 2024 Legislative Session, and co-introduced another 16. Of those, more than a dozen were successful.

Hooper, a retired firefighter, often champions legislation benefiting first responders. This year was no different.

He sponsored a successful measure honoring the 80th anniversary of the Florida Professional Firefighters Association, which cleared with bipartisan support and without much fanfare.

Hooper also successfully ushered through legislation (SB 718) establishing a new felony for anyone age 18 or older who “in the course of unlawfully possessing dangerous fentanyl or fentanyl analogs, recklessly exposes a first responder” to the drug and it results in “an overdose or serious bodily injury.”

He successfully sponsored another measure (SB 184) establishing a misdemeanor against anyone who impedes, threatens or harasses a first responder.

Public safety, in general, has been a top Hooper priority, as evidenced by Hooper’s co-sponsorship of “Victoria’s Law.” It establishes “Revive Awareness Day” authorizing the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging the Department of Health to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid use and overdose. Hooper sponsored the legislation with Sen. Jason Brodeur.

Prior to his service in the Senate, Hooper served four terms in the lower chamber, making him one of the most senior members in the Legislature.