Tallahassee attorney Mary Thomas announced on Wednesday she was forming an exploratory committee as she looks at running for the Republican nomination to challenge freshman U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., in 2016.
Currently working in Gov. Rick Scott’s administration as the general counsel at the Department of Elder Affairs, Thomas is active with the Federalist Society, a conservative group of attorneys. In the announcement to the media on Wednesday afternoon, Thomas’ team played up the fact that if she won she would be the first Indian-American woman in Congress and her experience in Tallahassee.
“During her time in the Scott administration, Mary has worked closely on issues that directly impact the citizens, businesses, military installations and environment of the 2nd Congressional District,” Thomas’ team noted. “Her experience includes: serving as the governor’s representative in negotiations regarding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; developing strategies to protect the Apalachicola Bay from Georgia’s unchecked consumption of water, strategies that ultimately resulted in the filing of a lawsuit against Georgia in the U.S. Supreme Court; and helping to solve military base encroachment issues around the Panhandle’s military installations.”
Thomas has some prominent Republican supporters, including attorney Jon Costello who had been part of the Scott administration and Lorri Silvera who had been the finance director for former U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., who held the seat for two terms before being defeated by Graham in the 2014 election cycle. Attorney Jeff Howell, a longtime Republican activist and state committeeman with the Leon County GOP, will chair Thomas’ exploratory committee.
Attorney Pete Williams, who lost to longtime State Attorney Willie Meggs by a very narrow margin in 2012, is also considering challenging Graham in 2016 as a Republican. But Williams could also take on Meggs in a rematch in 2016.
Despite 2014 being a good year for Republicans across the nation, Graham swam against the national tide, beating Southerland by less than 3,000 votes, making her one of only two Democrats to defeat incumbent congressional Republicans in November. While freshmen in the House minority usually do not get much notice, Graham, the daughter of former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., has garnered more than her share of national attention. Graham garnered some speculation as a possible future candidate for statewide office even before she took her congressional seat and is considered a possible U.S. Senate candidate in 2018 if U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., decides not to run for a fourth term.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN.
