One candidate is out, while another one is getting in.
Yesterday, this blog broke the news that lawyer Frank White would not be getting into the race for House District 2, which had been held by Representative Clay Ford until his death last week.
This morning, former 14-year Pensacola councilman Jack Nobles will announced his campaign for the seat. Nobles will formally enter the race once Governor Rick Scott has set the official dates for the special election.
***Update***Nobles’ announcement letter is below.
“As a lifetime small business owner, I am keenly aware of how hardworking people in towns like Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key, and Warrington are struggling to hold on to the American dream,” Nobles said in a statement today.
“Making payroll, providing for their families and growing their companies is hard enough, but more and more, I hear folks saying they feel like Tallahassee is out of touch, and that the government stands in the way of prosperity.”
Nobles had been holding-off making any announcement, he has said, out of respect for Rep. Ford and his family.
With a career as a senior executive with Coastal Bank & Trust and the Bank of Pensacola, Nobles has deep ties to the local business community — and connections in Tallahassee to the Florida Bankers Association, for which he served on its government affairs committee.
Nobles also has a sister who is a Circuit Court judge for the region, so politics seems to run in the family.
Full text of Nobles’ announcement letter here:
After many days of prayer and conversations with my family, I am announcing today that I will run for the Florida House of Representatives District 2 seat.
But first, I want to pay respect to Clay Ford. Clay Ford was a friend, a gentleman and the kind of leader who served with a deep devotion to our community and a great passion for the people who call District 2 home. Clay’s rock-solid integrity and his dedication to serving our community is a legacy we should be proud of…and one I will proudly carry on in the Florida House.
As a lifetime small business owner, I am keenly aware of how hardworking people in towns like Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key, and Warrington are struggling to hold on to the American dream. Making payroll, providing for their families and growing their companies is hard enough, but more and more, I hear folks saying they feel like Tallahassee is out of touch, and that the government stands in the way of prosperity.
As a community banker, I had the honor of working with everyday folks to make their dreams of owning a business or their own home a success. I saw that the values of accountability, faith, drive and integrity created opportunity for every person willing to work hard, and invest of themselves. After 14 years of dedicated service to this community on the Pensacola City Council, I also learned that leadership based on personal integrity – in business and in especially in government – isn’t always the easy path, but it’s always the right path. I’ll put people first, not politics.
I’ll take those lessons to Tallahassee, and live those principles, every day. Government needs to spend less, tax less and be the servant, not the master of Florida citizens. We need less red tape, and more respect out of Tallahassee, and if I have the honor to be your Representative, you can count on me to lead the fight for our conservative principles.
I’ll take those fundamental principles and let the lobbyists and special interests know that I represent the people of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, not the Capitol insiders and their friends. They may not like that, but I don’t work for them…I work for you. I’ll fight every day to grow your bottom line, not the special interests’.
As a seventh generation Pensacola native, I am proud to call this beautiful place my home. One reason I’m running is so we can work together to preserve our special quality of life for our children and grandchildren, and to see our community continue to flourish and grow. My kids were raised here and now I am so blessed to see my two grandsons being raised here as well.
We’ll be knocking on a lot of doors, catching up with old friends and making new ones. I’m excited to visit with folks all over district 2 and to take their ideas for a smaller, smarter and better government to Tallahassee.
It would be an honor to serve you.
Thank you.
