The slots are filling up quickly in the Republican primary for the special election for House District 2:
George Scarborough says he is ready to pull the trigger and get in the race. He placed a close second to the late Clay Ford in the 2007 special election,losing by 402 votes in an four-man race. His healthcare background with the Studer Group could be a plus as the state wrestles with the implementation of Obamacare. He is the older brother of former Congressman Joe Scarborough. He is waiting for the election dates to be sure they don’t conflict with family commitments.
Frank White is in, according to his supporters who have already planned a series of fundraisers. The PYP member and 2010 IN Rising Star is an attorney and has a software company. He is also Chamber chairman Sandy Sansing’s son-in-law. He is the youngest candidate in the primary.
Ed Gray, III, is the former mayor of Gulf Breeze, former Santa Rosa School Board chairman, former vice president for AmSouth Bank and First State Bank and city president of People’s First. He currently manages the Gulf Breeze loan pools. He is the oldest in the race and the only one who has held public office previously.
Mike Hill ran against Greg Evers for state senate in 2010 and lost. He is a State Farm agent and heads the Northwest Florida Tea Party.
These names will probably scare away any other serious candidates for the office.