CLEARWATER, Fla. – With a cavorting dolphin as an eye-popping prop, state Sen. Jack Latvala made a pitch to hometown supporters Wednesday as an “old-school Republican” with the blend of government and private-sector experience that makes him the right fit to be the state's next governor.
The Clearwater Republican, making the second of three stops in a day-long rollout of his campaign for governor, was joined at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium by a who's who of current and former local officials, ranging from former school board members and fire officials to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
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Latvala, 65, serves as the powerful chairman of the Senate budget committee and has racked up more than 15 years of legislative experience during two stints in the state Senate.
Latvala, who opened a campaign account Friday, joined state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam in what could be a crowded GOP primary in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Rick Scott. House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Congressman Ron DeSantis also are considering bids for the governor's mansion.
Latvala, a blunt-speaking businessman called a “cheerful curmudgeon” by one supporter, and his backers took aim at Putnam throughout Wednesday's Clearwater event, which was preceded by a demonstration by aquarium trainers and “Nicholas” the dolphin.
“The other guy that's running in this race officially so far, he had a marching band when he kicked off his campaign, and what we've got is Nicholas,” Latvala said, pausing while the dolphin made a spectacular somersault. “Let him beat that.”
Putnam, considered the “establishment” candidate in the race thus far, has amassed considerable financial support from some of the state's biggest industries.
But as he did again Wednesday, Latvala has consistently contrasted his experience as a longtime lawmaker and businessman with his opponent, without calling him out by name.
Latvala, clad in a long-sleeved plaid shirt and dark trousers, also didn't shy away from a more overt distinction.
“I may not be the best-looking candidate for governor. I may not be the most physically fit candidate for governor. I may not even be the smartest candidate,” he said, drawing groans from the crowd.
“But you can depend on me to do what I've always done, and that is (a), tell you the truth, (b), do what I say I'm going to do, and (c), work as hard as I can every single day for you,” he concluded, receiving cheers.
When asked about Latvala's entry into the race Wednesday morning, Putnam demurred.
“I'm focused on my campaign. We're running a grassroots-based campaign. We're getting terrific feedback everywhere we go. I'm bringing my small-business experience and my public experience to bear. And I'm very thrilled with the progress that we're making,” he said.
At the aquarium, Latvala's son Chris, a Republican state representative, called his father a “straight-talking” person who “moonlights as a state senator.”
The younger Latvala described his father as a “tough” and “loving” parent who “stands up for what he believes, even when it is not the popular thing to do.”
The elder Latvala, a political moderate, has parted ways over the years with party leaders on a variety of issues, including immigration, gun control and LGBTQ rights.
“My dad may not be the current front-runner … but he's never been afraid of a challenge,” Chris Latvala said. “If you think he'll roll over … you don't know Jack.”
Jack Latvala has sharply criticized Corcoran, saying recently that the House's efforts this year to overhaul Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing agency, were “all about making political points, all about trying to make headlines, trying to raise your name identification, whatever.”
Introducing Latvala, Gualtieri called the candidate a “thinker” who “tells it the way it is” and is “the guy in the trenches who gets the job done.”
Latvala kicked off the Clearwater event --- sandwiched between appearances in Hialeah and Panama City --- with a moment of silence to honor two Virginia state troopers and Heather Heyer, who was killed Saturday when a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters following a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va. The state troopers died in a helicopter accident while monitoring clashes between white nationalists and the counter-protesters..
“We had those three people who were killed this week because of just some senseless acts of violence, the two officers just doing their job and a young lady who just wanted to express her opinion,” Latvala said.
But Latvala bristled when pressed by reporters about the events in Virginia, saying he didn't want to “second-guess” the actions of people “in other jurisdictions.”
Latvala refused to weigh in on the remarks of President Donald Trump, who, in a combative exchange with the media on Tuesday, appeared to blame both the white nationalists and counter-protesters.
Latvala said he didn't watch Trump's press conference.
But, he said, “I'm not going to defend anybody that's a racist on any side of the coin.”
“If one group's wrong, I'm going to call them out,” he said, adding that “I might not always agree with the conventional wisdom on who's wrong.”
Latvala said he was surprised that University of Florida officials turned down a request by white nationalist Richard Spencer of the National Policy Institute to speak at the school next month. University officials cited security concerns as the reason for denying the request.
“I thought perhaps they were going to allow it and just put a real high price on security, which under their rules they have the ability to do. That would have the same impact without physically beginning to set standards on which groups are allowed to speak and which aren't,” Latvala said. “We've got anti-censorship rules on our campuses so that people can have free expression. But again, I'm not there. I don't have all the facts. I try to deal with what goes on here in Florida, things that I can control.”
Before heading to Panama City, Latvala shrugged off questions about his chances against front-runner Putnam.
“Sure I'm an underdog. I would not be running if I wasn't comfortable with what I'm doing. I think there's a need for somebody like me in this race that is going to talk about real issues that real people have to deal with, with real experience to handle those issues, and that's why I'm running,” he said.
Doug Bishop, a State Farm insurance agent who has known Latvala for more than two decades, predicted that his friend would “work very, very hard” at a grueling statewide race.
“He will stir a lot of emotions in people and at least give them another option and choice,” Bishop said.