In the Republican primary for attorney general -- a surprisingly bitter TV campaign -- Circuit Court Judge Ashley Moody defeated state Rep. Frank White, 57 percent to 43 percent, while on the Democratic side, consumer advocate Sean Shaw scored a runaway victory, 73 percent to 27 percent, over attorney Ryan Torrens.
Moody, who was backed by retiring Attorney General Pam Bondi, also used the heft of endorsements from dozens of sheriffs to hit at White as the more inexperienced candidate.
In turn, White fought back to accuse Moody of being a less-than-earnest conservative, invoking President Trump frequently and pledging to support the administration. He also touted a rating of A-plus from the National Rifle Association to bolster his conservative bona fides.
Two-term AG Bondi is leaving due to term limits (with an eye on a possible career at Fox News).
The Democrats pitted a pair of candidates from the Tampa region, although that has been about the only close aspect in that race. State Rep. Sean Shaw consistently polled strong against Tampa foreclosure lawyer Ryan Torrens and those numbers seem to have been mostly accurate.
The biggest news from this ticket was the competing lawsuits recently filed by both candidates against each other. Shaw filed suit in late July, suggesting Torrens used illegal funds to pay his campaign filing fee. He contends Torrens only was able to make the payment following a donation from his wife that exceeded contribution limits. Torrens filed a countersuit of libel, stating the charge was invalid because the donation came from a joint account and was, therefore, a payment made by himself.
That legal jousting match was about the only drama in the race. With nearly a 3-to-1 spread, seasoned politician Shaw, with a large passel of statewide endorsements, cruised to a comfortable win against the financially struggling Torrens.
Brad Slager, a Fort Lauderdale freelance writer, wrote this piece exclusively for Sunshine State News. Slager writes on politics and the entertainment industry and his stories appear in such publications as RedState and The Federalist.
