As he readies to take the gavel this month, incoming Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, continues to build his team.
On Wednesday, Crisafulli named Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, as deputy majority leader and whip, serving under incoming House Majority Leader Dana Young, R-Tampa.
With a new Republican supermajority in the Florida House of Representatives, the deputy majority leader/whip will have a critical leadership role in the Florida House, Crisafulli said on Wednesday. I can think of no better person to fill this important position than Rep. Jim Boyd.
Rep. Boyd has earned the respect of Republican and Democrat members alike, Crisafulli continued. He has proven himself as a great leader and someone who can effectively communicate the conservative principles and beliefs we both share. He is someone I trust and someone that I rely on for counsel. I firmly believe there is no one better suited to serve as whip and I look forward to working with him over the next two years.
Boyd has a business background with experience in investments, insurance and real estate but he is also a sharp politician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Boyd served on the Palmetto City Council and eventually became mayor.
First elected to the Florida House in 2010, Boyd quickly rose in Tallahassee, serving as deputy whip at the end of 2011 and all of 2012. Representing parts of Manatee and Sarasota counties, Boyd represents a solid Republican district. In last weeks election, Boyd faced no opposition. Back in 2012, Boyd defeated Democrat Adam Tebrugge, taking 56 percent of the vote for the win. In 2010, Boyd beat Dave "Watchdog" Miner who was running with no party affiliation.
The new deputy majority leader has deep roots in Florida and the Sunshine States politics. His grandfather Hugh Boyd served in the Florida House back in the early 1940s. Wilbur Boyd, the uncle of the new deputy majority leader, served almost a decade in the Florida House before being elected to the Florida Senate in 1966 where he served as president pro tempore.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
