Election 2012 Candidate Profile: State Attorney: John Torraco

Candidate: John Toracco

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Age: 41

Hometown: Franklin Lakes, NJ

Residence: Sarasota

Occupation: Private attorney

Education: Doctor of Jurisprudence from Georgetown University Law Center

John Torraco is the underdog in the race for the District 12 State Attorney's office. Unlike his opponent Ed Brodsky, the assistant to current State Attorney Earl Moreland, Torraco has no prosecutorial experience. Instead, he has experience in practicing law at as well as teaching it at State College of Florida, and is running on a message of reform, promising to prioritize the prosecution of pill mills and violent crimes if elected.

While Brodsky has received the lion's share of major endorsements and 20 years of experience under Moreland, Torraco is offering new blood and a pledge to run an office untainted by "outside influences." He says he will work to ensure that conflict of interest does not occur between the State Attorney's office and law enforcement if he is ever asked to file charges against a local police agency, and that the relationship between the two departments should be one of "professional boundaries, mutual respect, and above all, objectivity and independence."

Along with pill mills and violent crimes, the Democratic candidate also wants to increase the office's attention on white collar crimes such as mortgage and financial fraud, as well as senior citizen scams. In addition to stepping up prosecutions of these crimes, Torraco says he will increase efficiency and eliminate waste, and approach all of his plans for the office with integrity and transparency.