Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe announced Monday that he is planning to enter the Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
"I am going to file the paperwork for the United States Congress District 11, Sharpe announced at a meeting in Tampa Monday morning.
The new candidates announcement was quickly forwarded by the Hillsborough County Republicans via Twitter.
Sharpe, a veteran of the Navy and a Tampa native, was first elected to his current seat in 2004 and he won bids for re-election in 2006 and 2010. Castor, who was first elected in 2006, represents parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties, including most of Tampa. With the Legislature tackling redistricting in early 2012, the district may change before the 2012 elections.
Castor has generally done well in her two contests against Eddie Adams in 2006 and 2008 and against retired Army office Mike Prendergast in 2010. She beat Adams with almost 70 percent of the vote in 2006 and almost 72 percent of the vote against him again in 2008. Prendergast, who later went on to serve as chief of staff under Gov. Rick Scott and now heads up the state Department of Veterans Affairs, made some progress, taking more than 40 percent of the vote against Castor in 2010.
Scott Arceneaux, the executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, expressed confidence on Monday that Castor would do well in 2012.
Congresswoman Kathy Castor has a strong record of fighting on behalf of the families of the Tampa Bay area, always putting the interests of the people of Florida ahead of the special interests in Washington, said Arceneaux. She is a principled leader working hard to create jobs, improve schools, and protect consumers and the environment. Elected to Congress in the last cycle with overwhelming support, she is a proven fighter on behalf of the people in her district, and we are confident that her constituents will send her back to Congress next fall.
Sharpe does not have a clear path to the Republican nomination. Adams, who was the nominee in 2006 and 2008 and lost to Prendergast in the 2010 primary, is looking to take on Castor yet again. Tea party activist Josh Kiernan is also running in the Republican primary.
This marks Sharpes fourth bid for Congress. He ran for the seat back in 1992, 1994 and 1996.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
