Florida House of Representative Tom Leek defeated two challengers in the race for Senate District 7, which represents St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties.

2024 primary election results for Florida Senate & Florida House races around northeast Florida

The major endorsements in the race for State Senate in Northeast Florida have been huge. They include former President Trump endorsing David Shoar while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has endorsed Tom Leek

On Tuesday at the RNC in Milwaukee, the incoming head of the Florida Senate called on former St. Johns County sheriff David Shoar to drop out of a Florida Senate race.

Tom Leek is a Republican running for an open seat against two other Republicans, including former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar and Gerry James. Democratic candidate George Hill and unaffiliated candidate Michael Gist are also in the race.

In what could be one of this year’s highest-profile legislative primary elections, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar has opened a campaign account to run for a seat that will be vacated by term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine.

Former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar was let go with a warning after St. Augustine Beach Police (SABP) said he ran a red light and was found with marijuana in his SUV last week.

“As we embark on the 200th anniversary of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this agency,” Hardwick said in a statement. “The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is full of great men and women who put the safety and well-being of our citizens and visitors first. St. Johns County Republicans also elected Christian Whitehurst as County Commission District 1 over incumbent Jimmy Johns. Nearly 30% of registered voters in St. Johns County cast ballots in the primary -- 43% by mail, 30% on election day and 26% during early voting. Putnam CountyCourtesy: Putnam County Sheriff's OfficeSheriff H.D.

The likely successors to St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar and Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels the voters selected in the primary wont officially take office until January, but they are already outlining their policing agendas. Michelle Cook, who defeated incumbent Darryl Daniels to win the Clay County primary, and Rob Hardwick, who easily won the seat Sheriff David Shoar is vacating in St. Johns County, are both Republicans. Cook, a Clay County native, brings decades of experience as a Jacksonville police officer and Atlantic Beach police chief to the Clay County Sheriffs Office. And transparency is just an everyday philosophy.She said she wants to focus on making Clay County a place where families want to live and businesses want to invest. ... As long as we can work together, there is nothing St. Johns County cant handle together.Hardwick said he wants to hire more deputies and add more technology as well as grow the departments bond with the community.

Cammack’s 25% of the vote propels her into the general election to face Democrat Adam Christensen, who narrowly prevailed in his three-way primary. “I am so honored to have earned the trust and support of the voters,” Cammack said in a statement Tuesday night. He will face Republican Gary Adler, who won that primary, in November. In District 6, which includes southern St. Johns and all of Flagler and Volusia counties, Clint Curtis narrowly won a Democratic primary. He will face incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Daytona, who drew no primary opponent.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. No matter who St. Johns County voters select in the voting ending at 7 p.m. Tuesday, therell be a new sheriff on Jan. 1. St. Augustine Beach Chief of Police Rob Hardwick and former St. Johns County Sheriffs Office Director Chris Strickland -- both Republicans -- fought hard to be the next sheriff. St. Johns County Republicans are also selecting between County Commission District 1 incumbent Jimmy Johns and his primary challenger, Christian Whitehurst. Watch your votes count throughout the evening online, and live, prime-time broadcast coverage on Channel 4 at 9 p.m. including reaction from St. Johns Countys next sheriff. There were not large crowds at the 48 St. Johns County precincts on Tuesday even though turnout looked like it could near 30% -- considered good for a primary.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has received its eighth consecutive accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, receiving the group’s Excelsior Recognition for the fourth time in a row. The assessment team leader, Lt. Mark Buffington, told the Sheriff’s Office that it was sone of the smoothest onsite visited he had done in 11 years and would encourage other agencies to tour the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office to glean ideas and processes. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office was initially accredited by CFA in 1996. The Egon Bittner Award is presented to chief executive officers who have commanded a CALEA-accredited agency for 15 or more continuous years. “It is a true honor to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the men and women of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

St. Johns County’s clerk of court, tax collector, property appraiser and supervisor of elections are unopposed for reelection this year. The race to fill the seat of retiring Sheriff David Shoar dominated the August primary, and the Republican winner faces a write-in opponent in November. Two county commission seats also will appear on the general election ballot. Races for leadership positions in St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach appear in a separate story. In addition to congressional, legislative and 7th Judicial Circuit races also covered elsewhere in our Voter’s Guide, St. Johns County voters will see several other races on the general election ballot:Five people are running in St. Augustine-St. Johns Airport Authority District 4: Austin Lee Lanteigne, H. Clark Alger, Michael Henne, Robert E. Olson and Samuel N. Barresi.

St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar is retiring after five terms. Lastly, I am the only one in this race that has never worked for the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, so I consider myself a fresh set of eyes if I am elected. I hope that the men and women of law enforcement will be remembered for being a positive piece to the puzzle of what makes St. Johns County the best place to live, work, play, and raise a family. Hired at the age of 19 and have worked and supervised every aspect of the Law Enforcement Division. High Liability Instructor at the Law Enforcement Academy for many years, teaching every aspect of law enforcement to new recruits and In-Service personnel.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Video posted to Facebook by a local radio talk show host shows several contentious moments during and after a St. Johns County Sheriff’s debate on Wednesday night. The debate was held at the Shriner’s Club in St. Augustine and was among several public events planned ahead of the Republican Primary when the next St. Johns County Sheriff will be elected. In the video posted to Facebook, Sheriff Shoar appears to become angry and starts yelling at Strickland supporters. Just politics.”“I have never seen a sheriff’s race in St. Johns County conducted with such aggression disrespect and unprofessionalism coupled by a lack of self-control,” Strickland told News4Jax. Hardwick said it is a personal matter between Strickland and the Sheriff’s Office, and documents show a history of tension.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – An ex-deputy with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, who was seen on video beating a man during a December traffic stop, has been charged with aggravated battery, according to the State Attorney’s Office. DeLeo was fired from the Sheriff’s Office. In the video, Butler can be heard screaming and moaning when he was shocked with a Taser several times. Later in the video, DeLeo comes at him with a baton. In the report from the Sheriff’s Office, investigators said Butler was being uncooperative and was not responding to commands.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Dozens of legislative candidates began qualifying Monday for this years elections in which 21 Senate seats and all 120 House seats could draw contests. Candidates are also signing up for many county races, including sheriff, county commission, school board and other local offices. Among the higher-profile races in Northeast Florida that will be the sheriffs race in Clay County, where several people are expected to challenge incumbent Darry Daniels, and St. Johns County, where Sheriff David Shoar is not seeking re-election after five terms in office. The formal qualifying period began at noon Monday and will continue until noon Friday. Qualifying was held earlier this year for congressional races.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A man discovered inside a stolen vehicle in Sawgrass was “gravely wounded” after firing shots at a deputy on Wednesday, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect then locked himself in the vehicle, Shoar said. About 2:15 p.m., Shoar said, a SWAT team used tear gas to extricate the suspect out of the vehicle. “We were lucky, you know, that we weren’t in the parking lot when that was going on, basically, is what I was thinking," Suggs said. Zach Goodall was in the parking lot at the time.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputy was fired and accused with aggravated battery Thursday after he was seen on video beating an unarmed man during a December traffic stop. St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar on Thursday withdrew the commission of Deputy Anthony DeLeo, ending his employment with the Sheriff’s Office. Two other St. Johns County deputies who were involved in the incident — Joseph McGinnis and Patrick Ponticello — were placed on paid administrative leave after the video surfaced. Butler remains in St. Johns County jail accused of multiple charges including two out-of-county warrants, resisting arrest and driving under the influence. And that’s the problem, particularly with St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office that refuses body cams.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The race to replace departing St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar will be tight, according to a poll released Monday by the University of North Florida. Hardwick currently serves as the St. Augustine Beach Chief of Police while Strickland is a law enforcement veteran with 30 years of experience working with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Shoar has served as St. Johns County Sheriff since he was first elected in 2004. The poll also found that 69% of respondents said they strongly or somewhat approve — with only 19% disapproving — of the job being done by the St. Johns County Commission. “There is undoubtedly a general lack of awareness regarding the candidates for St. Johns County Commissioner and Sheriff, but it’s still early,” said Binder.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is suing a former employee suspected of embezzling more than $700,000 while she oversaw the agency’s budget and finances. In a seven-page lawsuit filed Jan. 14, Sheriff David Shoar alleges that former finance director Raye A. Brutnell defrauded the agency by making dozens of payments totaling over $700,000 from bank accounts controlled by the Sheriff’s Office to a series of accounts created for fictitious vendors. It goes on to say that she deposited the proceeds into bank accounts controlled either by herself or her family members. She said she did not realize the magnitude of the fraud until confronted with the dollar amount. Brian Haas, the state attorney for Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit, is prosecuting the criminal case at the request of Gov.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Two Jacksonville men are accused of first-degree murder in connection with two fentanyl overdose deaths in St. Johns County, State Attorney R.J. Larizza announced Thursday. Larizza said overdose deaths continue to be an issue in the Seventh Circuit which covers Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties. In July, St. Johns County resident Oscar Novo was accused of selling fentanyl that led to a man’s overdose death in 2017. In Jacksonville, Deonte Wadley was charged in March with murder in the August 2018 overdose death of Timothy Sexton. St. Johns County Sherrif David Shoar called the ongoing opioid epidemic another chapter in an evolving human tragedy.

That's why the Northeast Florida Sheriff's Advisory and the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office discussed golf cart safety at a meeting Wednesday night at Nocatee Crosswater Hall. "Golf carts are only designed to go 20 mph, so you don't want your golf cart to go over 20 mph," Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Golf cart safety was one of the main topics of a state of the county meeting in May in Nocatee. During that meeting, St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar said golf cart-related accidents were becoming so frequent that he was planning a golf cart safety campaign. As part of the Sheriff's Office's golf cart safety campaign, deputies said they plan to hold golf cart operators classes in the future.

David Shoar announced Wednesday he will not seek reelection when his fourth term as sheriff of St. Johns County ends next year"It's time for me to exit stage left and let the next generation take it over," Shoar told News4Jax. Some of her loved ones believe her boyfriend, a St. Johns County deputy, killed her. Chandler escaped and is now St. Johns County's longest-standing fugitive. Candidates for sheriff in 2020 who have notified the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections:Rob Hardwick (Republican) currently St. Augustine Beach police chiefTom Reynolds (NPA) Ran for St. Johns County Commission in 2018 as a Democrat, but withdrew and ran in nonpartisan St. Augustine Beach Commission, then withdrew from that, as well. Sheriff Shoar said his last day as sheriff will be Jan. 3, 2021.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As Hurricane Dorian approaches Florida's east coast, most bridges will be closed if sustained wind speeds reach 40 mph or greater. Just like Duval and Clay counties, the bridges close when sustained winds are at 40 mph or greater. During Hurricane Matthew, all bridges except the Julington Creek Bridge and Matanzas Bridge were closed in St. Johns County. Duval CountyThe Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Monday said police were expecting 12 to 18 hours of strong winds in Duval County when bridges in Duval County might need to be closed. If closed, the bridges would remain closed during the duration of the storm.