2014 Florida Attorney General election

Last updated

2014 Florida Attorney General election
Flag of Florida.svg
  2010 November 4, 2014 2018  
  Bondi bio photo crop.jpg GeorgeSheldonHHS.jpg
Nominee Pam Bondi George Sheldon
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote3,215,5282,446,048
Percentage55.2%42.0%

Florida AG Election Results by County, 2014.svg
County results
Bondi:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Sheldon:     50–60%     60–70%

Attorney General before election

Pam Bondi
Republican

Elected Attorney General

Pam Bondi
Republican

The 2014 Florida Attorney General election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Attorney General of Florida. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi ran for re-election to a second term in office [1] against Democrat George Sheldon and Libertarian Bill Wohlsifer.

Contents

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Endorsements

Perry E. Thurston, Jr.
Individuals
Newspapers

Results

Democratic primary results [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic George Sheldon 458,428 60.66
Democratic Perry E. Thurston, Jr.297,32039.34
Total votes755,748 100

Libertarian nomination

Candidates

Declared

  • Bill Wohlsifer, Attorney at Law [22]

General election

Campaign

Sheldon's constitutional eligibility to serve as attorney general was challenged in court. For the years 2011 to 2013, Sheldon established permanent non-Florida residency in order to receive an exemption from taking continuing legal education courses required to maintain his law license with the Florida Bar. Article IV, Section 5(b) of the Florida Constitution requires the candidates for attorney general maintain permanent residency in Florida for the seven years preceding election to office. The lawsuit named Sheldon and the Florida Secretary of State as defendants, and asked the court to remove Sheldon from the Democratic primary for attorney general. [23] Leon County Chief Judge Charles A. Francis ruled that Sheldon was eligible for the ballot, stating that though he might have worked out of state, he maintained his residence in Tallahassee and continued to live there whenever he returned. [24] The main lawyer involved in the case chose not to appeal the decision. [25]

After Sheldon won his party's primary on August 26, Bondi challenged him to a general debate before the election. [26] Sheldon stated that he would do so, but raised the possibility of multiple debates. [27] Wohlsifer also challenged Bondi and Sheldon to a debate before the election. [28] On September 9, Bondi's campaign sent out an email accepting an invitation to debate Sheldon in October, which he also accepted. While the Bondi campaign's email only mentioned Sheldon, Sheldon himself stated that he would welcome Wohlsifer's participation. [29] Later on, it was confirmed that the debate would take place on October 6 and all three candidates would participate. It was pre-recorded and then broadcast only in Tampa and Orlando TV markets. [30] [31] [32]

Candidates

Endorsements

Pam Bondi
Organizations
Newspapers
George Sheldon
Individuals
Organizations
Newspapers
Bill Wohlsifer
Individuals
Organizations
Newspapers

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Pam
Bondi (R)
George
Sheldon (D)
Bill
Wohlsifer (L)
Undecided
Public Policy Polling November 1–2, 20141,198± 2.8%46%37%5%11%
Saint Leo University October 16–19, 2014500± 4.9%47%39%6%8%
Public Policy Polling September 4–7, 2014818± 3.8%43%35%6%17%
Gravis Marketing June 20–23, 20141,232± 3%43%35%5%16%
Public Policy Polling June 6–9, 2014672± 3.8%38%35%27%
Gravis Marketing April 23–25, 2014907± 3%45%36%7%12%
Gravis Marketing January 30–31, 2014808± 4%44%36%4%16%
Public Policy Polling January 16–21, 2014591± 4%37%34%29%
Gravis Marketing November 8–11, 2013932± 3%29%11%59%
Hypothetical polling
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Pam
Bondi (R)
Perry E.
Thurston, Jr. (D)
OtherUndecided
Gravis Marketing June 20–23, 20141,232± 3%43%38%4%15%
Public Policy Polling June 6–9, 2014672± 3.8%40%33%28%
Gravis Marketing April 23–25, 2014907± 3%45%38%7%11%
Gravis Marketing January 30–31, 2014808± 4%45%36%6%12%
Public Policy Polling January 16–21, 2014591± 4%37%35%28%
Gravis Marketing November 8–11, 2013932± 3%30%14%57%

Results

Florida Attorney General election, 2014 [51]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Pam Bondi (incumbent) 3,222,524 55.09% +0.32%
Democratic George Sheldon2,457,31742.01%+0.57%
Libertarian Bill Wohlsifer169,3942.90%N/A
Majority765,20713.08%−0.25%
Turnout 5,849,205
Republican hold

By congressional district

Bondi won 19 of 27 congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats. [52]

DistrictBondiSheldonRepresentative
1st 71%26% Jeff Miller
2nd 53%43% Gwen Graham
3rd 65%32% Ted Yoho
4th 68%28% Ander Crenshaw
5th 36%62% Corrine Brown
6th 64%33% Ron DeSantis
7th 56%41% John Mica
8th 62%34% Bill Posey
9th 48%49% Alan Grayson
10th 58%38% Daniel Webster
11th 66%31% Rich Nugent
12th 60%37% Gus Bilirakis
13th 53%43% Bill Young
14th 42%55% Kathy Castor
15th 60%37% Dennis Ross
16th 60%37% Vern Buchanan
17th 65%32% Tom Rooney
18th 57%40% Patrick Murphy
19th 67%30% Trey Radel
20th 20%78% Alcee Hastings
21st 43%55% Ted Deutch
22nd 47%50% Lois Frankel
23rd 40%58% Debbie Wasserman Schultz
24th 15%84% Frederica Wilson
25th 61%37% Mario Díaz-Balart
26th 52%45% Carlos Curbelo
27th 52%46% Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

See also

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