Wilton Simpson, the 50-year-old Trilby Republican, was named Senate Majority Leader for the 2016-2018 legislative term.
“Wilton is a conservative leader whose tremendous success in the private sector serves as a foundation for his belief in limited government and the supremacy of the individual, values many Senators on both sides of the political aisle share,” Senate President Joe Negron said in the announcement.
First elected to the Senate in 2012, Simpson was re-elected in 2016 after no one else filed for the seat.
Simpson is an egg farmer and owner of Simpson Environmental Services, represents Senate District 10. He previously represented SD 18, but the political boundaries changed last year because of redistricting.
With over a million chickens, Simpson Farms supplies eggs to supermarkets across the state.
In his first year in office, Simpson, a self-described “big-tent Republican,” was recognized by the Nature Coast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In 2013, the Florida Farm Bureau named him as both Legislator of the Year and Philanthropist of the Year.
Beyond his business prowess, Simpson is considered a thoughtful legislator and respected as someone who listens to all sides of a debate. He is well-liked even by some natural enemies within environmental groups who often line up against him when it comes to agricultural or land-use issues.
Simpson was sixth in the 2016 survey.
Joe Henderson’s Take
“What a gentleman. He doesn’t seek the spotlight but it seems to find him anyway, and for the right reasons. He is a successful businessman and was re-elected to the state Senate without opposition, and he now serves as Majority Leader. He does so without fanfare, but colleagues will tell you he knows how to get things done.”
For a complete explanation of how this list was created and who made up the panel that amassed it, please read here.
