Jacob Ogles
State Rep. Jennifer Canady stands in line to be the first female Speaker of the House. State Rep. Josie Tomkow serves now as the Chair of the powerful House Health & Human Services Committee.
The state House members on the edges of Tampa Bay — Canady in Lakeland and Tomkow in other parts of Polk County — wield some of the greatest influence on behalf of the region in Tallahassee. That provides the chief reason the jury made special note of these female leaders, who for years have advocated for the region in the halls of the Florida Capital.
“Watching Chair Jennifer Canady these last few years grow in her House leadership role has been really wonderful for us,” said Amanda Stewart of Johnston & Stewart. “Our team has had the opportunity to work closely with Chair Canady since before she was elected as Speaker by her class and have always been inspired by her quiet determination and fierce loyalty. She takes the time to learn every aspect of a policy issue and, as a parent, I am deeply grateful for her commitment to ensuring every student in Florida has access to quality education.
“She works so hard but, because she elects to step out of the spotlight, I don’t know that her community will ever fully grasp how much she has accomplished for them in such a short period of time. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for her as she continues toward her role as the very first woman to become Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.”
Canady today chairs the House Education & Employment Committee, where the Lakeland Republican has helped the interests of such institutions as Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida. The second-term lawmaker quickly established herself as an important voice in the Legislature, and her sway remains on an upward trajectory, especially when she takes the Speaker’s reins at the end of 2028.
“Besides being supremely qualified and not taking into account her vast personal experience, having another Speaker of the House from the Tampa Bay region keeps the focus on our region, its needs and its desires,” said political consultant Anthony Pedicini. “Leaders from Tampa Bay have ascended into every echelon of Florida politics.”
“Having known Jennifer Canady all of my life I can assure you she’s a force of nature — a fierce leader, a loyal friend, a humble servant, and a master of the process! She wins decisively — and you won’t even see it coming,” The Southern Group’s Seth McKeel added.
Tomkow, a Polk City Republican, meanwhile, holds significant power in her last of four terms in the Florida House. In particular, the cattle rancher provided strong representation for agricultural communities in the area. She remains a key member of Speaker Daniel Perez’s leadership team, and helped shape numerous legislative packages beyond just her own bills.
“Rep. Josie Tomkow is a strong advocate for Florida’s agricultural and rural communities. She has strong relationships with her Tampa Bay delegation and colleagues statewide, strengthening her ability to advance policies that support farmers, education, and conservative values,” said Christina Barker, Chief of Staff in the Vinik Family Office.
“Her close alliance with Speaker Perez has positioned Rep. Tomkow as a key lieutenant, playing a leading role in advancing the House’s top priorities. This collaborative approach reflects her dedication to serving her constituents effectively.”
Expect both of these lawmakers to remain powerful voices for all of Tampa Bay through this year and into the next.
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A special thanks to RSA Consulting Group, the sponsor of this year’s rankings.
As for methodology, we define the Tampa Bay region as Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, but we 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.
We also want to thank our experienced and knowledgeable panelists, who were essential to developing the 2025 list: Vinik Family Office Chief of Staff Christina Barker; Mercury Public Affairs Managing Director Ashley Bauman; Matt Blair of Corcoran Partners; Reggie Cardozo of The Public Square; Stephanie Cardozo of The Southern Group; Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick managing partner Ron Christaldi; former state Sen. Janet Cruz; political consultant/strategist Barry Edwards; Vicidial Group President Matt Florell; Sunrise Consulting Group President Shawn Foster; businessman Michael Griffin; Clay Hollis of Tucker/Hall; Natalie King of RSA Consulting Group; Moffitt Cancer Center VP of Public Affairs and Communications Merritt Martin; former state Rep. Seth McKeel of The Southern Group; political consultant Chris Mitchell; Mike Moore of The Southern Group; RSA President and CEO Ron Pierce; Tucker/Hall CEO Darren Richards; political consultant Jim Rimes; political consultant Preston Rudie of Catalyst Communications Group; TECO VP of State and Regional Affairs Stephanie Smith; lobbyist Alan Suskey of Shumaker Advisors; Doyle Walsh, Chief of Staff for St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch; Michelle and Peter Schorsch, publishers of Florida Politics.
