Below you will find information on the ballot for the races in my district in Hillsborough County, Florida for the 2022 general election. I try to provide basic information on each candidate without being partisan. The goal is just to make it easier for you to do your research on the candidates. While I’m trying to not be partisan, I reserve the right to be snarky.

UPDATE: 10/13/2022
First, the Tampa Bay Times has its voter guide up. The Times also has a list of their endorsements.
Second, I haven’t finished going through my ballot with all the judges. I’m hoping to finish that up this weekend.

UPDATE: 10/16/2022
I finished going through my ballot. I’m increasingly convinced that the seats on the Soil and Water Conservation District are joke elections. Can we either get rid of that board or get serious candidates?

United States Senator

Val Demings

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Former chief of police in Orlando. Was a social worker before becoming a police officer. Representative in Florida’s 10th district of Congress. Husband is mayor of Orange County. Rides a Harley.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Marco Rubio

Party: Republican
Background Information: From Miami. Cuban American. Has a degree in political science from UF and a law degree from the University of Miami. He has been in politics since the 1990s, serving as a city commissioner for West Miami and then a member of the Florida House of Representatives. He was elected to the US Senate in 2010.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Dennis Misigoy

Party: Libertarian
Background Information: From Miami. Has a degree in computer science from Florida International University. Taught in public schools before becoming a software engineer. Makes it clear he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon). Served on the Board of Supervisors for the Enclave at Black Point Community Development District, a special taxing district in Miami-Dade County.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Steven B. Grant

Party: No Party Affiliation
Background Information: From Washington DC. Got a bachelor’s degree in Finance from University of Maryland-College Park. Worked as an investment advisor with Morgan Stanley. Then got a law degree from the Florida Coastal School of Law (which has a very low bar pass rate and is ranked really low). Became mayor of Boynton Beach in 2016.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; Facebook

Tuan TQ Nguyen

Party: No Party Affiliation
Background Information: From Vietnam. Moved to Canada and got a degree in engineering. Worked for Ericsson in Canada, then moved to the US. Works with Boat People SOS, a nonprofit that helps victims of human trafficking in South East Asia.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; Facebook, Instagram

Congressional District 14

Kathy Castor

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Incumbent. First elected to Congress in 2006, she was on the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners from 2002 to 2006. Bachelors from Emory and JD from Florida State.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook

James Judge

Party: Republican
Background Information: He thinks it’s important to be a Christian. The fact that he’s a Christian is all over his website. Eckerd College grad (though he has a photo of him on The University of Tampa’s veranda on his website, which made me laugh). Served in the US Coast Guard and US military. Runs a PR and marketing firm in Tampa. He’s giving away AR-15s to people who donate to his campaign. Also likes dogs.
Finances: Federal Election Commission
Websites: campaign website; Twitter

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Ron DeSantis

Party: Republican
Background Information: Born in Jacksonville but grew up in Dunedin. Attended Yale and Harvard Law School. Served in the US Navy. Worked for the US Department of Justice before going into politics. Served in the US House from 2013 to 2018. Elected as governor in 2016. Incumbent. Lieutenant Governor would be Jeanette Nuñez.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $34.2 million
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Charlie Crist

Party: Democratic
Background Information: Grew up in St. Pete. Undergrad degree from Florida State. Law degree from Cumberland School of Law in Alabama. Former governor of Florida. Currently, serving in the US house from the 13th District (St. Pete). Lieutenant Governor would be Karla Hernandez.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $14 million
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Attorney General

Aramis Ayala

Party: Democrat
Background Information: From Michigan. Has worked as both a prosecuting attorney and a public defender. Was State Attorney of Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit from 2017 to 2021.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $162,021
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Ashley Moody

Party: Republican
Background Information: From Plant City. Attended UF. Got her JD from Stetson. Worked for Holland & Knight in commercial litigation. Switched to working for the US Attorney’s Office then became a judge (13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County) in 2006. Became Attorney General of Florida in 2019.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 7/19/2022: $2.9 million
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook

Chief Financial Officer

Jimmy Patronis

Party: Republican
Background Information: From Florida. Raised in Panama City. Worked for family restaurant, Capt. Anderson’s, in Panama City. Bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State. Was appointed to the Florida Elections Committee (so, has connections). Served in Florida House of Representatives for 8 years and then was appointed to the Constitution Revision Commission. Photos of him with Desantis and Trump on his website.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $1.8 million
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Adam Hattersley

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Not sure where he is from, but he served in the US Navy. Then he worked as an electrical engineering instructor at the US Naval Academy. He worked for a Fortune 500 company while living in Riverview, then started a small business with his wife helping other businesses promote themselves. Won a seat in the Florida House in 2018.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $287,678
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Commissioner of Agriculture

Naomi Esther Blemur

Party: Democrat
Background Information: From Florida. Lives in Miami. Daughter of Haitian immigrants; grandparents were farmers. Studied in France, Spain, Italy, and in the US. Worked in management in retail and commercial banking for Fortune 500 companies. Now runs a non-profit helping girls in the foster care system. Has a consulting business. Serves on some commissions in Miami. (Campaign photo has to have been photoshopped.)
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $84,040
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Wilton Simpson

Party: Republican
Background Information: From Florida. Associate’s degree from Pasco-Hernando State college. Works for family businesses, including a large-scale egg-laying operation. Served in the Florida Senate and the Florida House. Was the Senate President from 2020-2022. Wikipedia page is more helpful than his campaign website.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $2.7 million
Websites: campaign website; Twitter

State Senator District 14

Jay Collins

Party: Republican
Background Information: Grew up in a small town on a farm. Enlisted in the Army and then served in the Army Special Forces (Green Beret). This is really the focus of most of his website. Served for a long time and eventually had to have his leg amputated due to injuries sustained in the military. Continued to serve after that. After the military, worked for a nonprofit that delivers meals to veterans and others in need.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $362,724
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook; Instagram

Janet Cruz

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Tampa native. Got an associate’s degree from Hillsborough Community College in opticianry. Owns Pearle Vision Centers and has worked in healthcare. Was elected to the Florida House in 2009 in a special election. Served four terms. Now the incumbent senator.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $555,003
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

State Representative District 64

Maura Cruz Lanz

Party: Republican
Background Information: From Tampa. First husband died in the military. Second husband started a construction business that did commercial construction. She helped with the business. She also volunteered with her church. (Bonus: She actually stopped by our house as she lives in our neighborhood.)
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $21,750
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook; Instagram

Susan L. Valdés

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Born in New York; moved to Florida at 8. Earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern and a master’s degree in organizational leadership (not sure that is a real thing) from Manhattan College. (Not sure why she would admit to being awarded an honorary doctorate from Everest University; it was a for-profit scam school that got shut down. That’s more of a negative than a positive in my opinion. And an honorary doctorate is definitely not an earned doctorate; I have an earned doctorate from an accredited university.) Served on the Hillsborough County School Board for 14 years before running for the Florida house. She is the incumbent.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $67,460
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Board of County Commissioners District 1

Scott D. Levinson

Party: Republican
Background Information: Tampa native. Works in wholesale meat and seafood distribution. Volunteers with a local charity. Has some kids and a wife. Possibly Jewish (notes a lot of Jewish holidays on his Facebook feed). Not much about him. His nickname appears to be “Coach,” but no information on why. Doesn’t like taxes. (Sorry, I usually focus on more substantive things, but his election website has no useful information.) I did find that he was arrested once.
Finances: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $21,095
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook

Harry Cohen

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Wins for the least informative campaign website; literally no information on it. Tampa native. A lawyer. Worked as the Chief Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court of Hillsborough County from 2005 to 2011. Elected to Tampa City Council in 2011 and re-elected in 2015. Incumbent on the Board of County Commissioners.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $188,069
Websites: campaign website; Facebook

Board of County Commissioners District 5

Donna Cameron Cepeda

Party: Republican
Background Information: Well, this is interesting. She claims to have earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Southern California (or, perhaps, University of South Carolina; she doesn’t specify). She then claims she earned master’s and doctorate degrees from “LCU.” The only “LCU” I could find is Lubbock Christian University, which is not accredited to award doctoral degrees. So, um, yeah. Not sure how she got a doctorate from LCU if they don’t award them. Something fishy here. She really, really emphasizes her “doctorate” and has “Dr.” all over her website. I work with a bunch of people who have PhDs; none of us emphasize that we have doctorates pretty much ever. So, lots of red flags on this one. She also claims that she is a licensed and ordained minister. That doesn’t actually require any training. She also claims to help people with pastoral counseling, which also doesn’t require any training. I’m super skeptical about her qualifications. The thought that she is trying to counsel people with possibly no legitimate training in therapy is terrifying. I could be wrong about this, but it’s really, really sketchy. This seems like an opportunity for a reporter to do some real digging into her background.
Finances: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $18,026
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook

Mariella Smith

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Fourth-generation Tampa native. Used to live in Temple Terrace but now live in Ruskin. Has an MA in Philosophy from Florida State University (an actual degree that is offered at that university). Started her own business in graphic design. Has been involved in government for decades. Incumbent.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: (can’t find this)
Websites: campaign website; Facebook, Twitter

Board of County Commissioners District 7

Joshua Wostal

Party: Republican
Background Information: MBA from University of Florida. Served in the Navy. Now owns a small business (shipping and printing). Volunteers with various organizations to help foster children.
Finances: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $70,649
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook

Kimberly Overman

Party: Democrat
Background Information: Long-time resident of Tampa. Owned a small business in financial planning (meh). Was elected to the Hillsborough County Commission county-wide in 2018. Incumbent.
Finances: Florida Department of State Division of Elections – as of 10/09/2022: $114,396
Websites: campaign website; Facebook, Twitter; Instagram

Justice of the Supreme Court

(NOTE: General advice on whether judges should be retained… If you vote against retaining a judge, think about who will be in a position to nominate a replacement for that judge. That is how the process works. So, consider your vote carefully in light of that fact.)

Charles T. Canady

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Born in Lakeland. JD from Yale. Served as a Republican member of the Florida house (though initially elected as a conservative Democrat). On the Supreme Court since 2008. Appointed by Charlie Crist.
Florida Bar Poll: 73% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: wikipedia

John D. Couriel

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree and law degree from Harvard. Served as an Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and was a partner at a law firm. Appointed by Ron Desantis in 2020.
Florida Bar Poll: 63% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: wikipedia

Jamie Grosshans

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: From Mississippi. JD from University of Mississippi School of Law. Served as Assistant State Attorney for Orange county. Founded her own law firm that focused on family law and criminal defense. Is a member of the Christian Legal Society. Appointed by Ron Desantis in 2020.
Florida Bar Poll: 59% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: wikipedia

Jorge Labarga

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Born in Cuba. Grew up in Pahokee, Florida. Bachelor’s degree and law degree from UF. Worked as an Assistant Public Defender. Appointed a Circuit Court Judge by Lawton Chiles in 1996. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2014 by Charlie Crist.
Florida Bar Poll: 85% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: wikipedia

Ricky Polston

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Born in Alabama but raised in Graceville, Florida. Bachelor’s and JD from Florida State. Worked in private practice from 1987-2000. Jeb Bush appointed him to the First District Court of Appeal of Florida in 2001. Appointed to the Supreme Court by Charlie Crist in 2008.
Florida Bar Poll: 74% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: wikipedia

District Court of Appeal

Patricia Joan Kelly

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from USF and law degree from UF. Practiced with law firms in West Palm Beach and Tampa. Was a staff attorney on the Second District Court of Appeal before being appointed. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2001.
Florida Bar Poll: 78% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

Nelly N. Khouzam

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree and law degree from UF. Served 14 years as a circuit court judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Has published in law journals. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2008.
Florida Bar Poll: 86% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

Suzanne Y. Labrit

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from UF and law degree from Nova Southeastern. Mostly worked in private practice before being appointed. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2020.
Florida Bar Poll: 70% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

Matt Lucas

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from FSU and law degree from UF. Was a Hillsborough County Court Judge as well as a 13th Judicial Circuit Court Judge. Worked in private practice before that. Teaches as an adjunct law instructor and has published in law journals. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2014.
Florida Bar Poll: 77% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

Robert Morris

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from UF and law degree from DePaul University. Was the chief judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Worked in private practice before that. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2014.
Florida Bar Poll: 80% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

Stevan Travis Northcutt

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from USF and law degree from Florida State. Was a partner in a law firm in Tampa before taking the bench. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 1997.
Florida Bar Poll: 85% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

John K. Stargel

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from University of Tampa and law degree from Florida State. Served on the 10th Judicial Circuit. Before that, he was counsel for several corporations and a partner in a law firm. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2020.
Florida Bar Poll: 64% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

Craig C. Villanti

Party: Nonpartisan position
Background Information: Bachelor’s degree from the SUNY Binghamton and law degree from Stetson University. Served on the 6th Judicial Circuit beginning in 1992. Before that, he was in private practice in New Port Richey. Appointed to Second District Court of Appeal in 2020.
Florida Bar Poll: 81% in favor of retaining (see here)
Websites: Florida Bar

County Court Judge Group 14

Melissa Black

Party: Nonpartisan race
Background Information: From Tampa. Went to Academy of the Holy Names. Undergrad at University of Florida and JD from Stetson. Worked as a public litigator. Has her own law firm now focused on child welfare – adoption, termination of parental rights, etc.
Finances: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections
Websites: campaign website; Facebook

Mike Isaak

Party: Nonpartisan race
Background Information: Grew up in Tampa. Graduated from Tampa Prep then went to Rollins College for undergrad. JD from Samford University in Alabama. Worked as a state attorney then opened his own law practice – criminal defense. Volunteers with various local organizations (e.g., St. Joseph’s Hospital). (Kids win for the most “forced” smiles for a campaign photo.)
Finances: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections
Websites: campaign website; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Soil and Water Conservation District Group 2

Ryan Gill

Party: No Party Affiliation (but makes it clear he’s a Republican on his Facebook page)
Background Information: Well, I hate to say I came up empty on this one, but I really can’t be certain I found the actual candidate. I think it might be this Ryan Gill, who runs a company focused on primitive hunting techniques and sells bows and such.
Finances: nothing
Websites: Facebook (if I found the right Ryan Gill), Facebook campaign website

Kim “Klarc” O’Connor

Party: No Party Affiliation
Background Information: She was on the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District but was told to resign (and did) because she was accused of smoking pot in a hotel room. She’s a retired lawyer. A little more information here. Member of the Green Party. Definitely does smoke pot, even though she denied it before.
Finances: nothing
Websites: Facebook

Soil and Water Conservation District Group 3

David Maynard

Party: No Party Affiliation
Background Information: From West Virginia. Studied at USF. Formerly held a seat on the Soil and Water Conservation Board. No campaign website. His name is David Maynard but he goes by “Brig.”
Finances: nothing
Websites: Facebook

Adam Young

Party: No Party Affiliation
Background Information: Probably a strawberry farmer who was highlighted in this news story. If so, he was the Florida Strawberry Growers Association President at one point.
Finances: nothing
Websites: nothing

No. 1 Constitutional Amendment

Limitation on the Assessment of Real Property Used for Residential Purposes

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution, effective January 1, 2023, to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit the consideration of any change or improvement made to real property used for residential purposes to improve the property’s resistance to flood damage in determining the assessed value of such property for ad valorem taxation purposes.

See the Tampa Bay Times’s thoughts on this amendment.

No. 2 Constitutional Amendment

Abolishing the Constitution Revision Commission

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission, which meets at 20-year intervals and is scheduled to next convene in 2037, as a method of submitting proposed amendments or revisions to the state Constitution to electors of the state for approval. This amendment does not affect the ability to revise or amend the State Constitution through citizen initiative, constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, or legislative joint resolution.

See the Tampa Bay Times’s thoughts on this amendment.
(NOTE: The state legislature keeps trying to make it harder for the citizens of Florida to actually govern themselves. This is another attempt at that.)

No. 3 Constitutional Amendment

Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Specified Critical Public Services Workforce

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to grant an additional homestead tax exemption for nonschool levies of up to $50,000 of the assessed value of homestead property owned by classroom teachers, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services professionals, active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, and Florida National Guard members. This amendment shall take effect January 1, 2023.

See the Tampa Bay Times’s thoughts on this amendment.

Hillsborough County Referendum

Funding for Countywide Transportation Improvements by Levy of One Percent Sales Surtax

Should transportation improvements be funded throughout Hillsborough County, including Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace, Brandon, Riverview, Carrollwood, and Town ‘n’ Country, including projects that:
-Build and widen roads,
-Fix roads and bridges,
-Expand public transit options,
-Fix potholes,
-Enhance bus services,
-Improve intersections, and
-Make walking and biking safer
By levying a one percent sales surtax for 30 years and funds deposited in an audited trust fund citizen oversight?

This ballot initiative is currently in flux. A conservative citizen of Hillsborough County sued on the grounds that the language was confusing and a judge agreed, but the county is appealing the ruling. Conservative citizens seem really bothered by the idea of having good public transit options in Tampa. Per the Supervisor of Elections, DO vote for this ballot issue. Whether the vote will matter will be decided by the courts later.