Jason Shoaf
{{Short description|Florida politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image = State_Representative_Jason_Shoaf.jpg
|image_size =
| name = Jason Shoaf
| caption =
| state_house = Florida
| district = 7th
| term_start = June 18, 2019
| term_end =
| preceded = Halsey Beshears
| constituency =
| majority =
| party = Republican
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|9|20}}
| birth_place = Panama City, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse =
| children = 2
| residence = Port St. Joe, Florida, U.S.
| website = www.jasonshoaf.com
}}
Jason Shoaf (born September 20, 1979) is an American politician serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 7th district, which includes Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Dixie, Suwannee, Hamilton, Lafayette, Liberty, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties, and part of Leon County. He was first elected in a 2019 special election.
Early life and education
Shoaf was born in Panama City, and attended Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University. He is the nephew of former Governor Wayne Mixson and the grandson of former State Representative Cecil G. Costin.
Career
Shoaf worked as a businessman prior to entering politics, serving as the vice-president of St. Joe Natural Gas Company and Gulf South Self Storage and Alliance Property Management.{{cite news|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/12/14/businessman-announces-candidacy-replace-district-7/2312956002/|title=Two GOP District 7 candidates emerge to replace Rep. Halsey Beshears in the Legislature|work=Tallahassee Democrat|last=Call|first=James|date=December 14, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2019}} He was appointed to the board of the Port St. Joe Port Authority Board and to the board of Triumph Gulf Coast, a state-run non-profit tasked with disbursing funds recovered from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.{{cite news|url=https://www.starfl.com/news/20181220/jason-shoaf-announces-for-florida-house|title=Jason Shoaf announces for Florida House|work=The Star|last=Croft|first=Tim|date=December 20, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2019}}
=Florida House of Representatives=
Following Halsey Beshear's resignation from the House to serve as Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, a special election was held to replace Beshears in the House.{{cite news|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/282359-beshears-dbpr|title=Ron DeSantis taps Halsey Beshears to be next DBPR Secretary|work=Florida Politics|last=McAuliffe|first=Danny|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Shoaf announced that he would run in the special election, and faced Mike Watkins, Lynda Bell, the Sneads City Manager and a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner; and 2018 congressional candidate Virginia Fuller in the primary election.{{cite news|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/293177-jason-shoaf-wins-republican-primary-for-house-district-7|title=Jason Shoaf coasts to victory in House District 7 Republican primary|work=Florida Politics|last=McAuliffe|first=Danny|date=April 10, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}} He campaigned on "bringing high-paying jobs to the district" and on "expand[ing] vocational opportunities" in public schools and emphasized his outsider credentials. He was endorsed by several prominent northern Florida Republican politicians—former State House Speaker Allan Bense, former State Senate President Don Gaetz, and Congressman Matt Gaetz{{cite news|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2019/04/10/jason-shoaf-face-ryan-terrell-race-house-district-7-seat/3424272002/|title=How Jason Shoaf pulled off a runaway victory in House District 7 race|work=Tallahassee Democrat|last=Call|first=James|date=April 10, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}}—while Watkins was endorsed by local sheriffs and the state's police and firefighter unions and Bell was endorsed by a right-to-life group.{{cite news|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/288985-pro-life-pac-backs-lynda-bell|title=Pro-life PAC backs Lynda Bell for HD 7|work=Florida Politics|last=McAuliffe|first=Danny|date=February 21, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}} The campaign grew heated and personal, with Watkins nearly starting a fight with Shoaf after Watkins alleged that Shoaf touched his fiancée's arm, an allegation Shoaf & witnesses denied.{{cite news|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/285952-fisticuffs-threatened-in-gop-primary-for-house-district-7|title=Fisticuffs threatened in GOP primary for House District 7|work=Florida Politics|last=Ogles|first=Jacob|date=January 21, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Ultimately, despite the perceived closeness of the race, Shoaf ended up winning by a wide margin, receiving 49% of the vote to Watkins's 27%, Bell's 20%, and Fuller's 4%.{{cite web|url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/DetailRpt.Asp?ELECTIONDATE=4/9/2019&RACE=STR&PARTY=REP&DIST=007&GRP=&DATAMODE=|title=April 9, 2019 Primary Election, House 7 & 38, Republican Primary, District: 7|publisher=Florida Department of State Division of Elections| access-date=November 21, 2019}}
Shoaf advanced to the general election, where he faced Ryan Terrell, a Tallahassee communications consultant and the Democratic nominee.{{cite news|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/18/jason-shoaf-and-ryan-terrell-race-florida-house/1490623001/|title=Republican Jason Shoaf celebrates dominant Florida House District 7 win|work=Tallahassee Democrat|last=Call|first=James|date=June 19, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Against Terrell, Shoaf focused on his conservative positions, like his support for Donald Trump, gun rights, and anti-abortion legislation, but also campaigned on nonpartisan issues, like helping the district recover from Hurricane Michael.{{cite news|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/293630-jason-shoaf-ryan-terrell-offer-two-distinct-options-for-hd-7-voters|title=Jason Shoaf, Ryan Terrell offer two distinct options for HD 7 voters|work=Florida Politics|last=McAuliffe|first=Danny|date=April 15, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Ultimately, despite the district's Democratic voter registration and history of supporting downballot Democratic candidates, Shoaf prevailed over Terrell in a landslide, winning 71% of the vote to Terrell's 29%.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4756&LegislativeTermId=88 Florida House of Representatives - Jason Shoaf]
{{Florida House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoaf, Jason}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
Category:People from Port St. Joe, Florida