U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Tallahassee, threw out a big "maybe" in Florida politics Thursday morning, saying she was considering running for governor in 2018.
Graham, a political newcomer currently serving her first term in Congress, said she wouldn't be seeking a second term.
Instead, she will aim for the highest position in Florida politics.
"I’m so excited to tell you first I’m seriously considering running for governor in 2018,” she said in a news release and a video.
Graham promised to bring “common sense back to Tallahassee.”
The move isn't necessarily a big surprise since Graham would have faced an incredibly difficult path to reelection in her current congressional district. After the Florida Supreme Court ordered the state legislature to redraw congressional district lines, Graham's district was redrawn significantly, putting her at an extreme disadvantage to snagging a second term.
The newly redrawn district lines have thrown Florida's political landscape into a line of falling dominos, with several political shifts on the rise.
Graham is one of the first politicians to openly discuss the possibility of running for governor.
Gov. Rick Scott, who has served as governor since 2010, will be unable to seek reelection due to term limits.
Graham first stepped onto the political scene in 2014 when she ran for Congress for Florida's 2nd District, which covered the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle and Tallahassee. The new boundary lines would split Tallahassee in half and cover Bay to Levy County, lines which heavily lean in favor of the Republican Party.
Despite her newbie political status, Graham has name recognition in politics which has aided her journey to Washington. Her father is U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who also served as Florida's governor from 1979-1987.
Graham's campaign cash numbers are steady so far, having already raised around $1.8 million for her reelection campaign.
Graham's not alone in her considerations for governor. Other Democrats may start to throw their names in the ring for the position as well. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn's name has been thrown around as a possible Democratic contender for governor in 2018. Buckhorn has enjoyed incredible popularity in the Tampa Bay Area, which is one of the state's largest voting regions, with nearly 6 million people residing in the greater Tampa Bay Area.
On the Republican side, many insiders have speculated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam has his eyes on the governor's mansion in 2018. Those speculations are fueled by big fundraising numbers Putnam has posted this year.
Putnam has already started fundraising through his own political action committee, Florida Grown, bringing in $4 million in just a year.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
