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Atwater Elected Fla. CFO
November 3, 2010
Overshadowed by record-breaking and history making elections farther up the ticket, Republican Jeff Atwater was elected chief financial officer Tuesday in what appeared to be a developing Republican sweep of Cabinet seats.
Atwater, R-North Palm Beach and the outgoing Senate President, outdistanced Democrat Loranne Ausley, a former House member who he outspent by more than two to one margin in a campaign that avoided public debates and relied almost entirely on paid advertisements and staged events.
With more than 4 million votes cast, Atwater held nearly 59 percent of the vote prompting Ausley to throw in the towel.
The chief financial officer’s post on the Cabinet was put into the Constitution in 1998, but a contested election for the office wasn’t held until 2006, when current CFO Alex Sink, a Democrat, beat Republican former Senate President Tom Lee for the job.
Ausley left the Legislature in 2008 after eight years in the House and is a lawyer in Tallahassee and is from a prominent, politically-connected family and law firm. But she found her name wasn’t as well-known outside the capital city.
“I am proud of the competitive race we have run, but with the election behind us, it is important to put aside partisan battles and begin working together to move our state forward.,” Ausley said in a concession statement.
Looking likely to join Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner-Elect Adam Putnam on the Cabinet was Pam Bondi, the Republican attorney general candidate who was leading Democrat Dan Gelber 56 to 40 percent with more than 4 million votes cast.
Atwater, a former community banker, has served as Senate President for the past two years, arguably one of the most powerful jobs in state government, along with the governor and House speaker.
“Having worked alongside CFO-elect Atwater in the Senate, I know his conservative principles will be an asset to the Florida Cabinet, as we work toward securing the futures of Florida’s families,” incoming Sen. President Mike Haridopolos said in a statement Tuesday.
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