Former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos might want his old job back but he should not expect an open path to the Republican nomination if he tries to return to Tallahassee.
Earlier this week, Florida Politics reported that Haridopolos was contemplating a political comeback.
“I have been asked if I would run again ever since leaving office almost four years ago,” Haridopolos told Florida Politics. “Serving my community has always been and continues to be important to me.”
Florida Politics reported that Haridopolos was already trying to round up some of the state Senate leadership’s support, including the backing of incoming Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart. Haridopolos would run for the seat currently held by term-limited Sen. Thad Altman, R-Cape Canaveral, who is running for an open Florida House seat. After the latest round of redistricting, the seat, which run through Brevard and Indian River counties, remains solidly Republican with 47 percent of voters registered with the GOP in 2012 while 32 percent were Democrats.
Since Haridopolos left the state Senate when he faced term limits in 2012 , he’s been pretty quiet on the political scene. But over the last year Haridopolos has become more active, joining former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s, R-Ark., presidential campaign as part of part of his national finance team. Haridopolos also hosts a Web show at Spacecoastdaily.com. After his failed U.S. Senate bid in 2012, there’s been plenty of talk that Haridopolos could try to run for Congress if U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., decides to step down.
While Posey shows no sign of retiring, sources close to Haridopolos told Sunshine State News that the former senator might run for the state Senate and keep his options open: either aiming for the Senate presidency again or making a congressional bid if the opportunity presents itself.
On his home turf, Haridopolos has had great electoral success though he fumbled when he tried to challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and lead the state Senate at the same time. After leading the Senate through a rocky relationship with the House in 2011, Haridopolos dropped his bid against Nelson, eventually throwing his support to then-U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fla.
Despite his past success in the area, the Republicans already in the race--state Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, Brevard County Republican State Committeeman Mike Thomas and state Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne--show no signs of exiting the race if Haridopolos gets in. Workman chairs the powerful House Rules Committee and sits on the House Finance and Tax Committee in Tallahassee while Mayfield has won applause from conservatives for her efforts against Common Core.
When asked about Haridopolos possibly entering into the race, Mayfield told Sunshine State News, “If Sen. Haridopolos decides to run again, I would welcome him to the race just as I would anyone who offers themselves for public service.”
Workman’s response was more blunt. “I’ll confirm to you now that I am not getting out of this race, and will prove all the early polls correct and we will win this race with or without Mike Haridopolos in this race,” Workman told Sunshine State News.
Haridopolos attended Workman’s campaign launch and he has also been helping other Republican candidates in the area, including attending a campaign event for state House candidate Randy Fine. Sources say Haridopolos has said he will decide in the next month whether or not he will enter the contest.
Ed Dean, a senior editor with Sunshine State News whose talk show can be heard on radio stations in Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Daytona Beach, Orlando, the Space Coast, the Treasure Coast and South Florida from West Palm Beach to Miami. It can also be heard in parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. You can reach at ed@sunshinestatenews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @eddeanradio.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
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