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Politics

Tom Rooney has Options A-Plenty in 2018

September 25, 2015 - 8:30am
Tom Rooney
Tom Rooney

Tom Rooney has plenty of options as he ponders his political future but Tallahassee might be a better bet than staying in Washington.  There’s already buzz that Rooney could try for the U.S. Senate in 2018 regardless of what Bill Nelson does. But Rick Scott has also thrown his name into the mix and Rooney simply doesn’t have the name recognition or the war chest the governor has. 

Rooney could wind up running for a state Cabinet office in 2018 instead of the Senate. Congressmen like Bill McCollum, Connie Mack IV and Jim Davis have had problems moving up to hold either the governorship or a Senate seat. Holding a lower state office can often lead to a higher one. With Congress polling lower than cockroaches, Rooney might also want another office to use as his base before he sets his eyes on being governor or tries for a Senate seat.

The grandson of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney, Tom Rooney, after graduating from college, worked for Connie Mack III’s Senate mail room. Rooney cites it as a formative experience which gave him insight into understanding the issues confronting everyday Floridians. After going to law school, Rooney joined the Army, served in the JAG Corps and taught classes at West Point. He returned to Florida and became an assistant attorney general.

Despite his pedigree and credentials, Rooney's electoral career appeared stalled before it even started. He had no easy task in the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Congressman Tim Mahoney in 2008, but he defeated Gayle Harrell to secure the GOPs nomination. For most of the campaign, Mahoney appeared headed to a victory over Rooney, but the incumbent was plagued with reports of extramarital affairs in the final weeks of the election, including one with a staffer who received more than $120,000 from him. Rooney won big, taking 60 percent in the general election while Mahoney finished with less than 40 percent of the vote. While Rooney switched from the Palm Beach area to being more in the center of the state, he has easily won two other terms to the House.

Rooney has been prominent on a number of different fronts during his time in Congress, including the War on Terror, environmental affairs, foreign policy and agriculture. With a growing profile, Rooney, who is only 44, could soon be facing opportunities if he wants to follow in the elder Mack’s footsteps or head to Tallahassee as governor down the road. But, whatever his record in Congress and family ties, Rooney remains unknown in many parts of the state. A state Cabinet position -- be it agriculture or attorney general -- could easily boost Rooney's chances down the road for even higher office.

While Rooney certainly has the background to serve as Florida attorney general, there’s another option -- and that’s state agriculture commissioner. Sure it has a lower profile than being state attorney general but Rooney has the background for it. Rooney sits on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and has been busy in recent months as Florida faces problems with citrus greening. With his brother Patrick serving in the House, Rooney could have better relations with the Legislature than other outsiders to Tallahassee. 

Right now Rooney is one of a crowd. Florida has 27 congressmen and most of them are unknown outside their own districts. Serving in a state Cabinet post could help Rooney win an even greater place in the sun and give him a leg up on other ambitious Florida Republicans. Regardless of what he does in 2018, Rooney is positioned to be a major player in Florida for years to come.

 

Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this analysis exclusively for Sunshine State News.

Comments

Sadly for Representative Rooney, the Secretary of State post has ceased (since 2002) to be an elective post. However, (apparently unbeknownst to Senor Henderson) the Chief Financial Officer - a position that has combined the previous posts of (State) Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, & Fire Marshal, and (State) Comptroller - is an elective statewide office. Arguably, this post has the LOWEST public/media profile compared to the others. Still, an entire state, as opposed to just 1/27...

OK Jeff Henderson,.....SO, TELL ME...What exactly has Tom Rooney actually accomplished in FOUR Terms (6+ YEARS) in the Congressional HOUSE ?!?!?... NOTHING of substance that anyone can see: 45 years of age, college, Congressional mail-room 'runner', law school, US Army , West Point "instructor"?, Attorney...ALL of this up to '94...then 4 years later in '98,..slipping in to his Congressional seat in District 17 (no doubt 'advised' of the impending 'vacancy' by a former "mail-room contact"). This boy has hardly EVER spent any time living in the "REAL WORLD" (The people in the 17th District have been getting "short-changed" for over six years). I understand that 'trained' attorneys find it difficult to make ANY kind of decisions without "worrying" the question or situation "to death" and would rather sit and wait until a "committee" "investigates" and hands a 'solution result' to the "lawyer/politician".....BUT SIX YEARS?!?...ALMOST FOUR TERMS?!? This by needs some REAL "lawyer work",..NOT a further extended "attachment to the government mammary"....... Re-Think your opinion Jeff;... All "Tallahassee" would do is "complete" Rooney's "education" in obfuscation, pettifogging and making duplicitous political statements. So far, all he seems to have done is "carry the water" of Boehner, McCarthy and Scalise's House Leadership Committee....

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