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Nicole Fried, Matt Caldwell face off for Florida Agriculture Commissioner: What you need to know

Voters have two distinctly different choices for Florida's commissioner of agriculture job.
 
Published Nov. 5, 2018

WHO'S RUNNING

• Republican Matt Caldwell, 37, is an eight-year veteran of the Florida House of Representatives for Lee County's Fort Myers/Lehigh Acres area. He built close ties to the incumbent commissioner of agriculture, Adam Putnam, as he specialized in pushing legislation that was friendly to industrial farmers who he will oversee if elected.

• Democrat Nicole "Nikki" Fried is a 40-year-old marijuana lobbyist and Fort Lauderdale-based attorney who prides herself as being a leading advocate for the state's burgeoning medical cannabis industry. During her time lobbying in Tallahassee, she represented Florida's Children First's lobbying team, for which she helped pass a bill that provided $4.5 million in legal aid to disabled dependent children in the state.

• The commissioner oversees 19 offices and about 3,600 employees. They serve a four-year term with a limit of two consecutive terms. The current commissioner, Adam Putnam, makes $128,972 annually. The office oversees such diverse things as gas pumps, rollercoasters, school lunch and state fairs. The commissioner holds votes on more dire topics, like issues of clemency. They are responsible for concealed-weapon licensing. And, of course, they oversee one the state's largest industries — agriculture. The cabinet-level role is wide-reaching and broad, and the candidates in the running both bring vastly different experiences that will likely affect the way the office is run.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

• It's been years since Democrats held this office, one of three Cabinet level positions that helps set executive policy for Florida along with the governor. No Democrat has won a Cabinet race since Alex Sink won Chief Financial Officer way back in 2006.

• Fried comes at the office with no pretensions of being like the previous occupants who have had prior ties to large agricultural interests. "You don't have to come from the industry to fight for the industry," she says. "You don't have to be a farmer to be a commissioner." Caldwell doesn't come from the industry, but as a lawmaker, his support of industrial agricultural interests was unyielding.

•  Just how much will the National Rifle Association remain involved in the office? Under Putnam, the NRA's oversight of the agency's concealed weapons permit program has been significant. And it didn't stop there. According to the Times, the NRA's top Florida lobbyist, Marion Hammer, has been involved in things large and small, unrelated to the permits program. Fried said the NRA's hold on the agency will end with her election: "Neither the Department, nor its employees will carry out the interests of the NRA, or any outside group that seeks to unduly influence the rules that apply to them." Meanwhile, NRA with attack ads that incorrectly said the gun-owning Fried was "anti-Second amendment."

WHAT YOU NEED TO READ

Meet Nicole "Nikki" Fried, the marijuana lobbyist and Fort Lauderdale attorney running for agriculture commissioner.

• Meet Matt Caldwell, the state lawmaker running for Florida agriculture commissioner. 

After Parkland, guns were to dominate politics. Here's the one race where that's true. 

Click here to read the Tampa Bay Times voter guide, which will give you a breakdown of many of the 2018 races.

Follow @samanthajgross for the latest in this race.