TALLAHASSEE — The youngest is 28, the oldest 66. They are teachers, real estate agents, attorneys, entrepreneurs and farmers. And in their spare time, they fly planes, play guitar, raise sheep, write screenplays and go to their kids' ball games.
These are the faces of the 59 new members of the Florida Legislature.
The freshman House class of 44 members is tied for the second-largest ever since term limits took effect in 2000. (There were also 44 new members in 2010 and 2008, and the record is 63 in 2000.)
The freshman Senate class of 15 members, meanwhile, ranks in size behind only the freshmen classes of 2002 and 2010.
In total, the new group of legislators includes nearly the same number of Democrats and Republicans, though 10 of the 15 new senators are Republican.
"We're a broad range of ages and backgrounds," said Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, who like the majority of new representatives is serving in elected office for the first time.
Pasco County egg farmer Wilton Simpson holds a special distinction: He was unchallenged in his first bid for Senate and was elected without a vote.
Rep. Mark Danish, D-Tampa, said his desire to serve derives from his role as a middle-school science teacher. "I want to extend that and make a difference. There's a lengthy priority list," he said, citing a proposal to create a homeowner's bill of rights, to addressing local transportation issues.
Another new legislator, Rep. Richard Stark, D-Weston, notes that he, and likely other officials whose homes are hundreds of miles from Tallahassee, "feel a little like college freshmen on their first semester away from home."
But there's much to keep this freshman class busy as they get up to speed on complex issues facing the Legislature this year. "We're eager to do the work," said Rep. Michael Clelland, D-Lake Mary. "We're not jaded by the process."
(Note: Net worth is as of July 2012.)
Joseph Abruzzo
D-West Palm Beach
Age: 32
District: 25
(part of Palm Beach)
Occupation: businessman
Net worth: $142,498
Earlier served in: House
Aaron Bean
R-Fernandina Beach
Age: 46
District:
4 (Nassau, part of Duval)
Occupation: banker
Net worth: $544,310
Earlier served in: House
Rob Bradley
R-Fleming Island
Age: 42
District: 7 (Alachua, Bradford,
Clay)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: $1,419,104
Jeff Brandes
R-St. Petersburg
Age: 36
District: 22 (parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas)
Occupation: real estate
Net worth: $10,354,868
Earlier served in: House
Dwight Bullard
D-Miami
Age: 36
District: 39
(Hendry and
Monroe and parts of Collier and Miami-Dade)
Occupation: teacher
Net worth: $25,500
Earlier served in: House
Jeff Clemens
D-Lake Worth
Age: 42
District: 27
(part of Palm Beach)
Occupation: energy
conservation
Net worth: $26,700
Earlier served in: House
Bill Galvano
R-Bradenton
Age: 46
District:26
(DeSoto, Glades and Hardee, and parts of Charlotte, Highlands, Hillsborough and Manatee)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: $1,496,898
Earlier served in: House
Dorothy Hukill
R-Port Orange
Age: 66
District: 8
(parts of Lake, Marion,
Volusia)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: $54,883
Earlier served in: House
Tom Lee
R-Brandon
Age: 51
District: 24 (part of Hillsborough)
Occupation: home builder
Net worth: $3,170,138
Earlier served in: Senate
John Legg
R-Trinity
Age: 37
District: 17 (parts of Hillsborough, Pasco)
Occupation:
educator
Net worth: $89,912
Earlier served in: House
Wilton Simpson
R-Trilby
Age: 46
District: 18 (Hernando, and parts of Pasco, Sumter)
Occupation: egg farmer, businessman
Net worth: $12,270,951
Darren Soto
D-Orlando
Age: 34
District:
14 (parts of Orange, Osceola, Polk)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: —$75,142
Earlier served in: House
Kelli Stargel
R-Lakeland
Age: 46
District: 15 (parts of Orange, Osceola, Polk)
Occupation: investment property
manager
Net worth: $99,182
Earlier served in: House
Geraldine F. Thompson, D-Orlando
Age: 64
District: 12 (part
of Orange)
Occupation: museum founder
Net worth: $658,324
Earlier served in: House
Bruce Antone
D-Orlando
Age: 52
District: 46 (part of Orange)
Occupation: consultant
Net worth: $150,000
Earlier served in: House
Halsey Beshears
R-Monticello
Age: 41
District: 7 (Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Lafayette, Liberty,
Madison, Taylor, Wakulla, part of Leon)
Occupation: nursery grower
Net worth: $619,765
Randolph Bracy
D-Orlando
Age: 35
District: 45
(part of Orange)
Occupation:
business development consultant
Net worth: $2,573
Karen Castor
Dentel
D-
Maitland
Age: 44
District: 30
(parts of Orange,
Seminole)
Occupation: teacher
Net worth: $265,894
Michael Philip
Clelland
D-Lake Mary
Age: 49
District: 29
(part of Seminole County)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: $203,000
Neil Combee
R-Polk City
Age: 53
District: 39 (parts of Osceola, Polk)
Occupation: agribusiness, real estate sales
Net worth: $517,674
W. Travis Cummings
R-Orange Park
Age: 40
District: 18 (part of Clay)
Occupation: business owner, insurance, employee benefits consulting
Net worth: $604,642
Mark Danish
D-Tampa
Age: 58
District:
63 (part of Hillsborough)
Occupation:
educator
Net worth: $239,254
Manny Diaz Jr.
R-Hialeah
Age: 39
District: 103
(parts of Broward, Miami-Dade)
Occupation: school administrator
Net worth: — $20,800
Dwight Dudley
D-St. Petersburg
Age: 58
District: 68 (part of Pinellas County)
Occupation:
attorney
Net worth: $417,978
Dane Eagle
R-Cape Coral
Age: 29
District: 77
(part of Lee)
Occupation:
real
estate broker
Net worth: $35,231
Katie A. Edwards
D-Plantation
Age: 31
District: 98 (part of Broward County)
Occupation:
consultant
Net worth: —$111,574
Mike Fasano
R-New Port Richey
Age: 54
District: 36 (part of Pasco)
Occupation:
hospital director of public affairs
Net worth: $1,262,558
Earlier served in: Senate
Heather Dawes
Fitzenhagen
R-Fort Myers
Age: 52
District: 78 (part of Lee County)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: $558,552
Dave Hood Jr.
R-Daytona Beach Shores
Age: 58
District: 25 (part of Volusia County)
Occupation:
attorney
Net worth: $246,500
Travis Hutson
R-Elkton
Age: 28
District: 24 (Flagler, parts of St. Johns and Volusia)
Occupation: real estate agent
Net worth: $6,689,629
Shevrin D. Jones
D-West Park
Age: 29
District: 101 (part of
Broward County)
Occupation: community relations
Net worth: $150,000
Dave Kerner
D-Lake Worth
Age: 29
District: 87 (part of Palm Beach County)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth:
— $54,613
Mike La Rosa
R-St. Cloud
Age: 30
District: 42 (parts of Osceola, Polk)
Occupation: real estate brokerage, development
Net worth: $579,699
Larry Lee Jr.
D-Port St. Lucie
Age: 59
District: 84 (part of St. Lucie)
Occupation: insurance agent
Net worth: $2,546,233
MaryLynn Magar, R-Tequesta
Age: 49
District: 82 (parts of Martin, Palm Beach)
Occupation:
business owner
Net worth: $1,886,458
Kionne L. McGhee
D-Miami
Age: 35
District: 117 (part
of Miami-Dade)
Occupation: attorney
Net worth: —$49,760
Jared Evan
Moskowitz
D-Coral Springs
Age: 32
District: 97 (part of
Broward)
Occupation: general counsel, environmental firm
Net worth: $299,641
Kathleen Peters, R-South Pasadena
Age: 51
District: 69 (part of Pinellas)
Occupation:
public affairs
Net worth: $244,994
Cary Pigman
R-Avon Park
Age: 54
District: 55 (Glades, Highlands, Okeechobee, part of St. Lucie)
Occupation: emergency physician
Net worth: $529,566
Bobby Powell
D-Riviera Beach
Age: 31
District: 88 (part of Palm Beach)
Occupation: urban and regional planner
Net worth: $11,482
Sharon Pritchett
D-Miami Gardens
Age: 61
District: 102 (parts of Broward, Miami-Dade)
Occupation: retired chief investigator
Net worth: $170,000
Jake Raburn
R-Lithia
Age: 28
District: 57 (part of Hillsborough)
Occupation: agricultural marketing/farming
Net worth: — $51,564
Kevin Rader
D-Delray Beach
Age: 44
District: 81 (part of Palm Beach)
Occupation: insurance agent/business owner
Net worth: $913,975
Earlier served in: House
Ricardo Rangel
D-Kissimmee
Age: 35
District: 43 (part of Osceola)
Occupation:
retired U.S. Army finance manager
Net worth: 0
Holly Merrill
Raschein, R-Key Largo
Age: 32
District: 120
(Monroe,
part of Miami-Dade)
Occupation: consultant
Net worth: $4,000
Dan Raulerson
R-Plant City
Age: 55
District: 58 (part of Hillsborough)
Occupation: certified public accountant
Net worth: $1,245,142
David Richardson, D-Miami Beach
Age: 55
District: 113 (part of Miami-Dade)
Occupation: certified public accountant
Net worth: $3,465,607
Ray Rodrigues
R-Estero
Age: 42
District: 76 (part of Lee County)
Occupation:
college budget manager
Net worth: $14,928
José Javier
Rodríguez, D-Miami
Age: 34
District: 112 (part of Miami-Dade)
Occupation:
attorney
Net worth: —$22,543
David Santiago
R-Deltona
Age: 42
District: 27 (part of Volusia)
Occupation: financial
manager
Net worth: $92,725
Joe Saunders
D-Orlando
Age: 29
District: 49 (part of Orange County)
Occupation: community organizer
Net worth: $21,727
Ross Spano
R-Dover
Age: 46
District: 59 (part of
Hillsborough)
Occupation:
attorney
Net worth: $731,368
Richard Stark
D-Weston
Age: 60
District: 104 (part
of Broward)
Occupation: owns insurance agency
Net worth: $1,827,375
Linda Stewart
D-Orlando
Age: 64
District: 47 (part of Orange)
Occupation: community activist
Net worth: $797,149
Charlie Stone
R-Ocala
Age: 65
District: 22 (Levy, part of Marion County)
Occupation:
president/owner petroleum product company
Net worth: $473,600
Victor M. Torres Jr.
D-Orlando
Age: 65
District:
48
(part of Orange County)
Occupation: retired
Net worth: $30,847
Clovis Watson Jr.
D-Alachua
Age: 54
District: 20 (parts of Alachua, Marion counties)
Occupation: retired city manager
Net worth: $1,260,100
Carl Zimmermann
D-Palm Harbor
Age: 61
District: 65 (part of Pinellas County)
Occupation: teacher/TV broadcast journalism
Net worth: $88,627
Denise Grimsley
R-Sebring
Age: 53 District: 21 (Okee-chobee, parts of Highlands, Martin, Osceola, Polk and St. Lucie)
Occupation: registered nurse
Net worth: $585,023
Earlier served in: House
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