HUCKABEE FOR PRESIDENT
Headquarters: 1282 La Quinta Drive, Unit 4, Orlando, FL.   ...grand opening Jan. 16, 2008.

Co-Chair

House Speaker Marco Rubio

(endorsement announced Dec. 10, 2007)  Speaker for 2006-08.  Represents House District 111 (part of Miami Dade); first elected in 2000.  Attorney.  B.S. University of Florida, 1993; J.D. University of Miami, 1996.
 

Co-Chair

State Senate Majority Whip Mike Haridopolos

(endorsement announced Dec. 26, 2007)  First elected to the Florida Senate in March 2003 and re-elected in 2006; represents District 26 (parts of Brevard, Indian River, Osceola, and St. Lucie Counties).  Served in the Florida House of Representatives, 2000-03.  Taught history at Brevard Community College.  B.A. in history from Stetson University, 1992; Masters in history from the University of Arkansas, 1993.
 

Co-Chair

Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster

(endorsement announced Nov. 27, 2007)  Elected to the Florida Senate in 1998; represents the 9th District (Winter Garden).  Served in the Florida House of Representatives, 1980-98, including as Speaker from 1996-98.  Occupation is air conditioning contractor.

Honorary Co-Chairs in Miami-Dade County
State Rep. David Rivera (announced Dec. 10, 2007)
State Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla (announced Dec. 27, 2007)
 
 

Finance Chair

Frank Tsamoutales

Government consultant at Akerman Senterfitt.  Experience includes extensive real estate work.
 

legislative endorsements (chronological):
Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster (announced Nov. 27, 2007)
House Speaker Marco Rubio (announced Dec. 10, 2007)
State Rep. David Rivera (announced Dec. 10, 2007)
State Senate Majority Whip Mike Haridopolos (announced Dec. 26, 2007)
State Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla (announced Dec. 27, 2007)
State Rep. Frank Attkisson (announced Jan. 26, 2008; see below)
 

more endorsements
(announced Jan. 25, 2008)
Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle
City of Plantation Councilman Jerry Fadgen
Barbara Collier - former chairwoman for Fred Thompson’s presidential campaign in Broward County
 

faith leaders (announced Jan. 26, 2008)
organizational affiliations for identification purposes only
· John Stemberger (announced Jan. 14, 2008 as co-chair of the Mike Huckabee Faith and Family Values Coalition for Florida; formerly backed Fred Thompson)
President and General Counsel, Florida Family Policy Council, Inc.; also State Chairman of the Florida4Marriage.org campaign, currently petitioning to get measure on the Nov. 2008 ballot.  Stemberger has practiced law in Orlando since 1994.  Political director for the Republican Party of Florida during President George H.W. Bush's 1992 campaign.  Lobbyist for Florida Right to Life, 1988.  Founded the Institute for Conservative Studies at Florida State University in 1987.  J.D. from Cumberland School of Law, Samford University; Birmingham, AL; B.S. in political science/philosophy from Florida State University.

· Janet Folger, founder of Faith2Action >

· David Uth, Pastor of First Baptist of Orlando

· Bob Touchstone, Former President, Florida Right to Life

· Terry Kemple, Community Issues Forum (Tampa Bay)

· Becky Hunter, wife of Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor of Northland Community Church (Longwood)

· State Rep. Frank Attkisson and his wife Juda (Saint Cloud)
(represents District 79, which includes much of Osceola and Okeechobee Counties and a bit of Polk County; Mayor of Kissimmee 1996-2000)

· Jay Rogers, Director, The Forerunner International >

· Art Alley, founder and President of The Timothy Plan >

· Lynne Breidenbach, Nationally Syndicated Radio Host (Lakeland) >

· Pastor Vern Murray, Liberty Baptist Church (Orlando)

· Polk County Commissioner Randy Wilkinson

· Pastor Russell G. Riggs, Senior Pastor of Orlando Temple Baptist

· Pastor Glenn Riggs, Starlight Baptist Church (Winter Springs)

· John Collins, President of the Extreme Group >

· Bob Armstrong, Legislative Director of the Religious Freedom Coalition

note several national faith leaders were also announced at this event:
Rick Scarborough, Vision America
Drew Dyck, Strang Communications
William Murray, Religious Freedom Coalition
Tom Glessner, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates
 

Copyright © 2007, 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action