The Florida Chamber of Commerce last week announced additional 2018 candidate endorsements in competitive races for the Florida House and Senate.
The 20 endorsements, which included Pensacola attorney Alex Andrade who is running for House District 2, are part of a larger Florida Chamber effort to help elect candidates that support private-sector job creation and economic growth. This is the second round of legislative endorsements for the 2018 election cycle. Additional rounds of House and Senate endorsements are expected before the general election.
“To help ensure Florida remains competitive, we need candidates that are focused on supporting jobs and the Floridians they employ,†said Marian Johnson, Senior Vice President of Political Operations for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Florida Chamber is proud to support candidates that support free enterpriseâ€.
Candidate endorsements were evaluated on numerous factors, including the historical grades of incumbents on the Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card. Additionally, candidates were interviewed as part of the Florida Chamber Political Institute’s (FCPI) Candidate Interviews. Interview sessions were conducted across Florida and included hundreds of non-incumbent candidates.
“It is imperative that candidates who are focused on job creation and further economic growth for Floridians are elected to the legislature, and that legislators with proven track records of supporting policies aimed at enhancing Florida’s competitiveness are re-elected. The Florida Chamber is focused on keeping the momentum built under eight years of leadership from Governor Scott going, and these endorsements represent the business community’s view of who we need as partners in the legislature to accomplish that mission.”