Posted on 07/07/2015 3:56:33 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
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 Scotts 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 governors representative in negotiations regarding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; developing strategies to protect the Apalachicola Bay from Georgias 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 Panhandles 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at sunshinestatenews.com ...
If she’s the nominee, I wish her all the best. It’s still early and it’s possible that someone better-known will run.
Gweny needs to go before we wake up one day and the *itch is Governor.
Are we forgetting U.S. Senator Elizabeth "Fauxcohantas" Warren?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.