Free Enterprise in ActionNews

37 of 40 Florida Chamber-Backed Candidates Win Primary Elections

Chamber Political Action Team Shifts Focus to Winning in November General Election

The Florida Chamber of Commerce and our members helped deliver primary election wins for 37 of 40 Chamber-backed candidates, continuing a track record of success in recruiting, supporting and electing pro-jobs candidates. This diverse group of candidates have committed to securing Florida’s future by focusing on free enterprise principles and job creation for their communities while working to keep Florida competitive on the global stage.

“Congratulations to the 93% of Florida Chamber pro-jobs candidates who won their primary races,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Keeping Florida competitive is essential to growing Florida to a top 10 global economy by 2030. As we unite business for good, we trust those elected will champion free enterprise, job creation and keep us moving in the right direction.”

Through its Florida Chamber Political Institute, the Florida Chamber constantly strives to recruit better candidates for the legislature and 2022 has been a very successful year for growing our collective effort as Chamber members interviewed over 100 candidates across five cities. Here are a few highlights from the primary election:

  • This primary election, the Florida Chamber endorsed over 105 legislative candidates, backing many of their candidacies with financial resources and substantial voter educative efforts.
  • In the past few months, millions of dollars were invested to win Florida’s primary legislative races. Campaigns are getting more expensive which is why the Florida Chamber launched the Free Enterprise Fund – a member-driven fund to elect pro-jobs candidates for Florida’s future.
  • With more than 1 million newly registered voters since the 2020 General election, Florida’s electorate continues to grow and evolve as Florida remains the nation’s most important battleground state. The Florida Chamber’s exclusive voter file, ChamberHub, is constantly tracking and analyzing these trends for our members.

“It is essential for the right things to keep happening in Florida, and that begins with having the right people elected to the Florida Legislature,” said Florida Chamber Political Council Chair Tracy Duda Chapman. “A united Florida business community and pro-jobs elected candidates working tirelessly to pass the right policy is the way we will further grow and diversify Florida’s economy.”

“Thank you to our Florida Chamber members for their continued help in recruiting and electing pro-jobs candidates and congratulations to these candidates for their success,” added Florida Chamber Executive Vice President of Government & Political Relations Frank Walker. “The Chamber will continue to unify Florida business for good, and we look forward to working with these legislators who have won their District seats for the coming years and further supporting those who will be on the ballot in the November General election.”

The Florida Chamber was proud to stand alongside the following Chamber-backed election winners, putting its near 150 years of combined political experience behind supporting them in the months and sometimes years preceding this election.

Commissioner of Agriculture:
Senate President Wilton Simpson

Senate Election Endorsements:
District 1: Senator Doug Broxson
District 2: Jay Trumbull
District 7: Senator Travis Hutson
District 10: Senator Jason Brodeur
District 20: Senator Jim Boyd
District 22: Senator Joe Gruters

House Election Endorsements:
District 1: Representative Michelle Salzman
District 2: Representative Robert Alexander “Alex” Andrade
District 3: Joel Rudman
District 6: Griff Griffitts
District 8: Gallop P. Franklin
District 15: Dean Black
District 17: Jessica Baker
District 20: Representative Bobby Payne
District 22: Representative Charles Wesley “Chuck” Clemons, Sr.
District 23: Representative Ralph E. Massullo, MD
District 30: Chase Tramont
District 34: Robert Brackett
District 35: Representative Fred Hawkins
District 36: Rachel Plakon
District 37: Susan Plasencia
District 38: Representative David Smith
District 41: Bruce H. Antone
District 50: Jennifer Canady
District 51: Representative Josie Tomkow
District 52: John Temple
District 53: Jeff Holcomb
District 55: Kevin M. Steele
District 56: Brad Yeager
District 68: Representative Lawrence McClure
District 77: Tiffany Esposito
District 87: Representative Michael A. “Mike” Caruso
District 113: Vicki Lopez
District 118: Representative Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin
District 119: Juan Carlos Porras
District 120: Representative James “Jim” V.  Mooney Jr.

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The Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of Florida job creators and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and region. The Florida Chamber is uniting Florida’s job creators for good to further diversity Florida’s economy, growing it to a top 10 global economy, and is the driving force of Florida’s Future. Committed to fighting for jobs and defeating legislation threatening to Florida’s free enterprise system, the Florida Chamber aggressively works within the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of state government to advocate legislation essential to keeping Florida, Florida and the continued improvement of Florida’s business climate and sustained economic development across the state.

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