TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Donald Trump is throwing his support behind Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, a fellow Republican, for state agriculture commissioner.
Or perhaps more directly, as the former president indicates, Trump is urging Wilton to run for one of the top statewide posts. Wilton hasn't yet announced whether he will run.
The agriculture commissioner is one of three officer positions on the Florida Cabinet, which is chaired by the governor. Nikki Fried, who currently holds the title and is the only Democrat on the cabinet, is widely speculated to run for governor in 2022.
"Wilton Simpson has done an outstanding job as President of the Florida State Senate, and I hope he runs for Florida Agriculture Commissioner in 2022—he will have my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Trump said in a statement. "Wilton has been a great supporter and worked hard to get many good Conservatives elected in Florida.
"He helped us grow our Republican majority in the Florida State Senate, and gave us a historic win in Florida in the 2020 Presidential Election. Wilton will never let the great people of Florida down!"
In a statement to 10 Tampa Bay, Simpson thanked Trump for the encouragement but stopped short of announcing a run.
"Having just completed a very successful Session, I am back home with my family, running my family farm," he said. "I have not yet decided whether I will continue to serve our state as an elected official beyond my term as Senate President. If I do run, it would be an honor to represent our farmers who deserve a strong voice in our Government.
"President Trump has always stood with hard-working blue collar American workers and generational family farms like mine. It is an honor that he would stand with me should I run for Agriculture Commissioner."
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