Hillsborough state attorney, public defender, judicial races take shape

Close to 50 Tampa Bay area judges drew no challengers by Friday, the election qualifying deadline, ensuring that most of the area’s jurists will be automatically reelected. Races for state attorney and public defender in Pinellas and Pasco counties also went unopposed, meaning the incumbents will remain in office for another four years.

As the deadline for candidates to file to run passed, it became clear that this year’s biggest democratic contests would be in Hillsborough County, where races for state attorney and public defender have drawn multiple candidates.

Hillsborough state attorney

The most closely watched race will be for Hillsborough state attorney, where three candidates have declared, including two who claim to be the incumbent.

Ousted Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren announced earlier this month that he would vie to be reelected to the post from which Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him in August 2022. Warren, a Democrat and advocate for criminal justice reform, was removed from office over political statements he’d made and some of his prosecutorial policies. He continues to fight his suspension in court.

Suzy Lopez, the Republican longtime prosecutor DeSantis appointed to replace Warren, has been campaigning for months, touting policies of pursuing stiff consequences for criminals and an embrace of law enforcement.

Also in the mix is Elizabeth Martinez Strauss, who filed to run as a Democrat when Warren’s plans remained unclear. She will face Warren in the August primary, with the winner going on to challenge Lopez in the November general election.

Hillsborough public defender

At the same time that Hillsborough voters elect their top prosecutor, they will also — for the first time in two decades — select their public defender. Julianne Holt, who has been the county’s public defender for more than 30 years, announced her retirement last year.

Two candidates qualified to run to succeed her.

Rocky Brancato, the office’s chief operations officer, is running with Holt’s endorsement. He faces a challenge from longtime local criminal defense attorney Lisa McLean.

The race will be decided in an open primary in August, in which all registered Hillsborough County voters can vote. No Republican candidates filed to run.

It will be the first time in 20 years that Hillsborough County has seen a contested public defender race.

Contested judicial races

Four contested judicial races will round out the ballots in Tampa Bay.

In Hillsborough County, three judicial positions will see contests in the August election — one against a sitting judge.

County Judge Matt Smith, a former prosecutor whom DeSantis appointed to the bench in 2021, drew a challenge from insurance attorney Dee Jones.

Tampa lawyer Starr Brookins, a candidate in previous judicial elections, will run again. She faces Tampa attorney Christine Edwards in the race for county judge group 11.

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In the Pinellas-Pasco circuit, St. Petersburg attorney Nicole Pearlman and prosecutor Kate Spurlock qualified to run for circuit judge group 9.

Circuit group 14 will see a three-way race between Pasco County attorney Cornelius Demps, Assistant Public Defender Jenn Dubbeld and Largo attorney Nick Fiorentino.

Uncontested races

Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bruce Bartlett, who succeeded the late Bernie McCabe in 2021 and won a special election the next year, secured a four-year term, having drawn no opposition.

Sara Mollo, the public defender for Pinellas and Pasco counties, also secured another four-year term with no opposition. Mollo was similarly elected without opposition in 2020 after the retirement of the late Bob Dillinger, who’d held the seat since 1996.

In Hillsborough County, attorney Mary Lou Cuellar will take a seat as a county judge, as the only candidate who qualified to run in group 15.

The following sitting judges qualified without opposition, ensuring their automatic reelection.

Hillsborough Circuit

Jamey Moody, Paul Huey, Mark Wolfe, Cheryl Thomas, Robin Fuson, Christine Marlewski, Kim Hernandez-Brennan, Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe, Cynthia Oster, Darren Farfante, Kimberly Fernandez, Emily Peacock and Jennifer Gabbard.

Hillsborough County

Marc Makholm, Lisa Allen, Leslie Schultz-Kin, Frances Perrone, Cory Chandler, Jack Gutman, Daryl Manning, Jeff Rich, Richard Martin and James Giardina.

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit

Dave Ellis, Phillip Federico, Thomas Ramsberger, Kemba Lewis, Bill Burgess, Amy Williams, Joseph Bulone, Kimberly Campbell, Pat Siracusa, Dustin Anderson, Lauralee Westine, Doneene Loar, Brian Gnage, Gregory Groger and Rebecca Hamilton.

Pinellas County

Cathy McKyton, Aaron Hubbard, Diane Croff, Lorraine Kelly and Susan Bedinghaus.

Pasco County

Knute Nathe, Frank Grey, Joseph Poblick, Anne Wansboro and Kenneth Compton.

Correction: The race for Hillsborough public defender will be decided in an open primary in August in which all registered Hillsborough County voters can vote. Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this story was incorrect about the primary being open to all voters.