Allie Braswell Withdraws from CFO Race

Allie Braswell withdrew Monday from his campaign to be Florida's next chief financial officer, according to reports. Braswell, a Democrat, had been in the race for less than a week.

Current CFO Jeff Atwater's camp did not sound too concerned about Braswell entering the race.

Mr. Braswell and Democrats want to focus on politics well over a year before Election Day, said Brian Hughes, a spokesman for Atwaters campaign. Jeff Atwater is focused on serving Floridians by working to bring relief to insurance ratepayers and fighting the consumer fraud that steals from seniors and families.

Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant, however, had high words of praise after Braswell entered the race last week.

"I am thrilled that Allie Braswell is running for Florida's CFO, because he's exactly the kind of leader we need in Tallahassee," she said Thursday. "We need a leader who will fight the politicians who are giving taxpayer money to their donors and friends. Floridians deserve a leader who will fight to hold government accountable, and attract new jobs to our state."

Braswell came under fire for his own financial issues. The Orlando Democratwho intended to run the states finances filed for bankruptcy three times in two different states, beginning in the mid-1990s and continuing to his latest in October of 2008, according to TheFlorida Times-Union.

I used bankruptcy as a way to responsibly pay my debt, he said in an interview Friday. Honestly, my story is of a regular guy. Ive felt the pain that a lot of people feel.

Braswell is currently president of the Orlando-based Central Florida Urban League.

Read the full story now in Sunshine State News.