Evan Power
{{Short description|Chairman of the Florida Republican Party}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Evan Power
|office = Chair of the Florida Republican Party
|term_start = January 8, 2024*
|term_end =
|predecessor = Christian Ziegler
|successor =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|11|15}}
|birth_place = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|education = Florida State University (BS, MS)
|footnotes =
}}
Evan Power is an American politician and political strategist serving as the chair of the Republican Party of Florida since 2024.
Power serves on the Republican National Committee and served as a Presidential elector for President Donald J. Trump in 2024.{{Cite web |last=Bridges |first=C.A. |date=December 16, 2024 |title=Republican electors to vote for Donald Trump this week. A list of the who's who on Florida's slate |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/12/16/electoral-college-electors-florida-trump-cabinet-nominee/76956324007/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}} Power is a government affairs consultant with the Ramba Consulting Group.{{Cite web |last=Call |first=James |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Evan Power says being both party chair, lobbyist is natural fit to strengthen Florida GOP |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/13/evan-power-a-look-at-his-rise-to-florida-republican-party-chair/72256247007/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}} He was chair of the Republican Party of Leon County, Florida from 2012-2024 and now serves as Leon County State Committeeman.{{Cite web |last=Burlew |first=Jeff |date=November 25, 2024 |title=Leon Democratic and Republican Party leaders face their own election in December |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/25/leon-democratic-gop-party-leaders-face-their-own-election-in-december/76487140007/ |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}} Power was the vice chair of the Republican Party of Florida.{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Jim |date=2024-01-08 |title=Evan Power tapped to replace Christian Ziegler as GOP Chair |url=https://news.wgcu.org/government-politics/2024-01-08/evan-power-tpped-to-replace-christian-ziegler-as-gop-chair |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida |language=en}} In January 2024, he was elected in a 135 to 65 vote to succeed Christian Ziegler as the chair.{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Tristan |date=2024-01-08 |title=Tallahassee's Evan Power is the new Florida GOP chairman after Ziegler's ouster |url=https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2024-01-08/breaking-tallahassees-evan-power-is-named-state-gop-chairman |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=WFSU News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dixon |first=Matt |date=2024-01-08 |title=Florida Republican Party ousts Christian Ziegler as chairman after rape allegation |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-republican-party-ousts-christian-ziegler-chairman-rape-allegat-rcna131936 |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=NBC News |language=en}} He was endorsed by governor Ron DeSantis. In January 2025 Power was re-elected by a resounding vote of 183-19. {{Cite web |last=Ogles |first=Jacob |date=January 11, 2025 |title=Evan Power re-elected as Florida GOP Chair by resounding vote |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/715094-evan-power-re-elected-as-florida-gop-chair-by-resounding-vote/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}}
Early life and career
Power is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He graduated from The McCallie School. Power graduated from Florida State University in 2004 with a degree in Finance. He then went to work for Florida Rep. Marco Rubio, now Florida's senior U.S. senator. During this time Power became active in the Leon County Republican Party. {{Cite web |last=Call |first=James |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Evan Power says being both party chair, lobbyist is natural fit to strengthen Florida GOP |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/13/evan-power-a-look-at-his-rise-to-florida-republican-party-chair/72256247007/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}}
Power was elected chairman of the Leon County Republican Party in 2012 and assistant treasurer of the Republican Party of Florida 2015. {{Cite web |last=Call |first=James |date=November 27, 2018 |title=Is Leon County Republican Party chair Evan Power looking to move on up? |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/11/27/evan-power-looking-move-up/2124379002/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}}
Under his leadership and despite Leon County’s blue tilt, the local party enjoyed successes including Corey Simon’s win for a state Senate seat not held by Republicans since reconstruction.
In February 2023 Power narrowly lost the race for chairman of the Republican Party of Florida to Christian Ziegler by a 126–100 vote. Power was subsequently elected as vice chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. {{Cite web |last=Ogles |first=Jacob |date=February 19, 2023 |title=Florida Republicans elect Christian Ziegler as State Chair |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/13/evan-power-a-look-at-his-rise-to-florida-republican-party-chair/72256247007/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}}
After allegations of sexual misconduct were made against Christian Ziegler, Power called a special board meeting of the Republican Party of Florida executive board in December of 2023. {{Cite web |last=Ogles |first=Jacob |date=December 5, 2023 |title=Evan Power seeks special Florida GOP meeting on Christian Ziegler's future |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/647264-evan-power-seeks-special-florida-gop-meeting-on-christian-zieglers-future/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}} On January 8, 2024 Power was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Florida by a vote of 135-65, coming into the meeting with the endorsements from Florida's biggest Republican figures, including Governor Ron DeSantis, U.S. senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Matt Gaetz and former state party chairs Blaise Ingoglia and Joe Gruters. {{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Tristan |date=2024-01-08 |title=Tallahassee's Evan Power is the new Florida GOP chairman after Ziegler's ouster |url=https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2024-01-08/breaking-tallahassees-evan-power-is-named-state-gop-chairman |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=WFSU News |language=en}}
Chairmanship
Under his leadership the Republican Party of Florida aggressively grew their registration advantage to over 1 Million more voters than the Democrats. {{Cite web |last=Matat |first=Stephany |date=2024-08-12 |title=Florida now counts 1 million more registered Republican voters than Democrats |url=https://apnews.com/article/florida-republicans-democrats-voter-registrations-b843059f8f3f1419794751753626a120 |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=AP News |language=en}}
The Republican Party of Florida dominated the 2024 election. Donald Trump's 13 point win was the largest victory for a Presidential Candidate since 1988. Every county shifted red and 6 counties flipped to the Republican side, including Miami-Dade County that had not been won for a Republican since 1988. Senator Rick Scott was easily re-elected to the Senate as well. {{Cite web |last=Birle |first=Jack |date=2024-11-07 |title=Florida Republicans prove midterm wave was no fluke with sweeping wins |url=https://gazette.com/news/wex/florida-republicans-prove-midterm-wave-was-no-fluke-with-sweeping-wins/article_ca7a1844-e218-5abf-8faf-86f8291ed8b7.html |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=The Gazette |language=en}} The Party also defended their legislative super majority in the state house for the first time in history. {{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Cody |date=2024-11-07 |title=GOP maintains supermajority in Florida legislature |url=https://www.wctv.tv/2024/11/07/gop-maintains-supermajority-florida-legislature/ |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=WCTV |language=en}}
During the 2024 election the Republican Party of Florida endorsed against two constitutional amendments, Amendment 3 to legalize recreational marijuana and Amendment 4 to legalize abortion to viability. Florida voters rejected both amendments even though millions were spent in support. The Florida Republican Party saw these wins as big for the party and for keeping monied interests from legislating through the constitutional amendment process. {{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Cody |date=2024-11-07 |title=GOP maintains supermajority in Florida legislature |url=https://www.wctv.tv/2024/11/07/gop-maintains-supermajority-florida-legislature/ |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=WCTV |language=en}}
In January 2025 Power was re-elected by a resounding vote of 183-19. {{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Greg |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Florida amendments: What to know after election results |url=https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-amendments-2024-elections/62834025 |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=WESH |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Power is married to Melissa and has a son.{{Cite web |last=Call |first=James|date=February 13, 2024 |title=Evan Power says being both party chair, lobbyist is natural fit to strengthen Florida GOP |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/589315-christian-ziegler-elected-state-chair-for-florida-republicans/ |language=en-US}}
In 2018, Power was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), after refusing to take a breathalyzer test.{{Cite web |last=Call |first=James |date=December 13, 2018 |title=Leon GOP chief Evan Power shelves statewide GOP plans after DUI arrest |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/12/13/evan-power-leon-gop-chief-arrested-dui/2299039002/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}} The charge was reduced to reckless driving, to which Power pleaded no contest. He was ordered to complete six months of probation and 50 hours of community service.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gulflive.com/news/2024/01/video-showing-dui-arrest-of-newly-elected-florida-gop-chair-surfaces.html|title=Video showing DUI arrest of newly elected Florida GOP chair surfaces|first=Jennifer |last=Torres|date=January 22, 2024|website=gulflive.com}}
References
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{{s-bef|before=Christian Ziegler}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Florida Republican Party|years=2024–present}}
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{{Republican State Chairs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Power, Evan}}
Category:21st-century Florida politicians
Category:People from Leon County, Florida
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:State political party chairs of Florida
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)