Andrew Warren says his campaign raised more than $200K in first 45 days as a candidate

Andrew Warren, the twice-elected Hillsborough County state attorney who lost his job two years ago after he was suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has raised more than $200,000 since he announced he was running for the position in April, his campaign announced on Wednesday.

In a press release, aides said that Warren has brought in $190,000 to his main campaign account, with another $20,000 for his political committee, and that he has $225,000 in cash on hand. That information is not yet listed on the state’s Division of Elections website.

“I’m proud of the support from the community and inspired by the enthusiasm for my re-election,” Warren said in a written statement.

“Three things are clear: We had tremendous success making Hillsborough safer; my suspension was an illegal political stunt; and crime has gone up substantially in my absence. Hillsborough County is ready to return the office to the people and for crime to start going down again.”

A Democrat, Warren was suspended by DeSantis in August 2022 for alleged “neglect of duty” and “incompetence” after he signed pledges not to prosecute alleged crimes arising from abortion or transgender care. Warren challenged his firing in federal court, where a U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that DeSantis had violated the First Amendment in removing Warren over political differences and anticipated “political benefit” to the governor — but said he lacked power to reinstate him.

However, a federal appeals court ruled in January that Hinkle should reconsider that aspect of his decision.

The Florida Supreme Court last summer rejected a request by Warren to be reinstated. In an opinion by Justice Charles Canady, the court said that Warren had waited too long to sue — more than six months following his suspension as state attorney.

Warren announced in January that he would not run for re-election this year, saying he didn’t trust DeSantis not to suspend him again should he win back the seat in November. But he then announced on April 16, following the appellate ruling, that he would throw his hat in the ring.

Opposition

He faces attorney Elizabeth Strauss Martinez in the Democratic Party primary on Aug. 20. She entered the race after Warren had said he would not run. The winner will take on Suzy Lopez, appointed by DeSantis to replace Warren. She had built up a war chest of more than $470,00 in her combined campaign accounts as of the end of March. A spokesperson for Lopez told the Phoenix that she has raised $582,545, as of May 31.

Warren narrowly defeated 16-year Republican incumbent Mark Ober in the race for Hillsborough County state attorney in 2016. He easily won re-election in 2020 before being suspended by DeSantis in 2022.

But the demographics are much different this time around.

In 2016, there were 68,075 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Hillsborough County. And in 2020, there were 71,416 more registered Democrats than Republicans. As of today, there are just 10,364 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Hillsborough.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com . Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter .

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