George Sheldon Wins Democratic Nomination for Florida Attorney General

BRADENTON – Former Secretary of the Department of Children and Families George Sheldon easily defeated House minority leader Perry Thurston (57-31 percent) Tuesday for the Democratic nomination for Florida Attorney General. Incumbent AG Pam Bondi was unopposed in the GOP primary. The two will now face off in the November 4 general election.

Sheldon is a graduate of Plant City High School and received both his undergraduate and law school degrees from Florida State. He served eight years in the state legislature, before leaving to run unsuccessfully for Congress. He also served as Deputy Attorney General under Bob Butterworth.

As DCF secretary under then-governor Charlie Crist, Sheldon oversaw a $3 billion agency during a stable period in which foster child adoption rates rose and food stamp error rates fell. Later, Sheldon was one of eight assistant secretaries at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Sheldon, who is ardently opposed to Bondi on almost every single issue, says that if elected, he will restore the aggressive consumer efforts that Butterworth managed during his four terms.

Specifically, Sheldon says he will challenge the utility companies' rate filings that come before the Public Service Commission in what has been something of a rubber stamp relationship. He has also been critical of the out of state legal fights Bondi has pursued, like the Chesapeake Bay lawsuit regarding the federal Clean Water Act.