Advertisement

Pat Frank to announce re-election run Thursday

 
Published July 1, 2015

TAMPA -- Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Pat Frank plans to file for re-election this week and announce her candidacy Thursday.

The move will set off a tough primary battle between two local Democratic powers – Frank, a former state House member, state senator, county commissioner, school board member and decades-long icon in local Democratic politics versus county Commissioner Kevin Beckner, considered one of the party's rising stars.

Beckner has already started his campaign and achieved some early fundraising success. Frank vowed that she'll catch up.

In an interview, Frank said she'll send out a news release Thursday as soon as she opens a campaign bank account.

She acknowledged one of the reasons she's filing now, instead of waiting until fall when allies say she had planned to file, is to quash talk that she may not run.

Allies of Beckner have suggested that Frank, who's 85, actually intended to retire but was delaying announcing that decision to prevent competitors from jumping in the race, thereby holding the seat open for a candidate of her choosing.

"I think there also has been some inference that I'm not running and vague statements that might cause people to say, 'At least we know (Beckner) is running.' So it's better to get it over with and have the uncertainty over," she said.

Beckner has raised almost $65,000 in cash in the first two months of his campaign.

"I do realize I've got some catchup to do," Frank said. "I'm going to contact people I know and see how much I can raise in one month. I don't like to ask people for money and I don't like to waste their money, but I'm not going to lose."