Democrat Draper drops bid for agriculture commissioner
by Michael C. Bender | August 17th, 2009
Draper supporters march in the Bay County July 4 parade. Photo via Draper's campaign Facebook page.
Audubon of Florida lobbyist Eric Draper said today he will end his two-month campaign for state agriculture commissioner to focus on his job with one of largest environmental groups in the state.
“All non-profit organizations are facing unprecedented financial times,” Draper said in a statement. “I had thought these manageable challenges but now find they require my full efforts.”
Draper’s announcement cuts to three the field of Democrats seeking the job: former state Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox, former state Rep. Rick Minton Jr. of Fort Pierce and former Suwannee County Commissioner Randy Hatch. Republicans running include U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow and state Sen. Carey Baker of Eustis.
Republican Ag Commissioner Charles Bronson is leaving office in 2010 due to term limits.
Draper has been with Audubon since 1995. Before that, he was the staff director for the House Majority Office under Democratic Speaker Peter Wallace and Majority Leader Jim Davis. Draper also worked for The Nature Conservancy.
Attempting to frame the agriculture position as the “top environmental steward” on the Florida Cabinet, he raised $35,125 in his first month of the race and attracted nearly 1,000 supporters to his campaign’s Facebook page.
Read the letter he sent to supporters after the jump.
“The same values that led me to a career in conservation led me to run for Commissioner of Agriculture. When launching my campaign, I planned to divide my time between my work with Audubon of Florida and the work of campaigning – raising money, traveling and connecting with supporters. Now, after nearly three months I’ve concluded that a choice must be made between the job of running a statewide race and the equally challenging job of leading Audubon’s policy work on Everglades restoration and land and water conservation.
“I am proud of my fourteen years at Audubon and feel fortunate to be part of one of the nation’s most respected conservation groups. Keeping our state staff and volunteer leaders focused on protecting the environment is very important to me and is ultimately important for all Floridians who want strong advocates for our environment. We face serious challenges – from proposed coastal oil drilling to keeping Florida Forever and Everglades restoration going. And all non-profit organizations are facing unprecedented financial times. I had thought these manageable challenges but now find they require my full efforts.
“So I have decided to direct all of my attention to Audubon’s mission and will soon bring my campaign to a close. The past three months have been both exciting and encouraging. I am confident that constituencies for clean water, safe food, green energy and saving farmland will help to redefine the role of Commissioner of Agriculture.
“I am especially grateful to the many people who gave money, time and advice and rallied to help me in this effort. It is my hope that you and others who supported my campaign will realize that the same values that led me to run – my deep commitment to protecting Florida’s land and water – now lead me to recommit to conservation.”
Tags: Eric Draper, Florida Cabinet
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August 17th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
$35k in the first month for a statewide race is a drop in the Everglades. Looks as if the Audobon folks are cheap.
Draper sounds as if he’s a sincere guy, but having an “environmentalist” as ag secretary could create conflicts. If it were up to Rosa Durando, Joann Davis and others in Audobon, there would be no agriculture in Palm Beach County. They hate us and have fought against us.
August 17th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I am guessing Audubon figured Draper was getting money for his campaign that they felt should be going to them (the 35k he raised in a month). I don’t blame them, if I was an salesman at a dealership and I sold a bunch of cars for another dealership, and bragged about it on my website and facebook page, my boss would “limit my options” as well.
Too bad. I liked his stance on drilling.
Although he was thoroughly unqualified for the job, and i would not have voted for him.
August 17th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Scott Maddox’s Statement on the News of Eric Draper’s withdrawal from the Commissioner of Agriculture Race
“Eric Draper has worked tirelessly to protect Florida’s natural resources. I greatly appreciate his commitment to the betterment of our state. Let us also commend Eric for reminding us that this cabinet post is more than farms and fertilizer, it’s about a full spectrum that begins in the fields, respects our environment, extends into the grocery stores of this state, and touches consumers from Key West to Pensacola…Eric Draper correctly centered the debate on those facts.”
– Scott Maddox
August 21st, 2009 at 6:26 pm
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Draper supporters march in the Bay County July 4 parade. Photo via Draper’s campaign Facebook page. [...]…