JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – You have probably seen the ads involving Florida State Senate candidate Tom Leek. They’re hard to avoid if you watch TV.
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.
They’re all running in District 7, which represents St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties. The seat will be vacated by term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine.
MORE: Ex-St. Johns County Sheriff Shoar launches campaign for Florida State Senate seat
Shoar entered the race on Friday following weeks of ads that have attacked or defended Leek.
It’s all linked to a political war between Leek and trial lawyers who apparently don’t want him to win.
A political action committee (PAC) called “The Truth Matters” is behind the Leek attack ads. The PAC also launched an anti-Leek website: LiberalLeek.com.
“We’ve got some liberal personal injury lawyers that have decided they want to buy back a seat in the Florida Senate and they want to make this their battleground. I have spent my time in the Florida House of Representatives taking on real big fights against some real big special interests and I knew one day they would come looking for a pound of flesh,” Leek told News4JAX.
Leek said this is happening because he tried to rid the system of what he calls “abusive and fraudulent lawsuits.”
News4JAX dug into who’s funding “The Truth Matters,” and the money came from another PAC, which raised nearly $3 million in six months, mostly from lawyers around the state. That includes a who’s who of local lawyers including Farah & Farah, Pajcic & Pajcic and Wayne Hogan.
News4JAX also found connections between the PAC and Shoar’s campaign. They both have the same campaign treasurer, and Shoar works with the person who is the chair of the PAC.
Daniel Cronrath, a political science professor with FSCJ, said PACS are effective.
“PACs exist because they want to be able to engineer a political outcome which benefits the people funding the PAC. So, if you’re able to follow the money you would be looking at individuals who contribute to PACs because whatever occupation of business they’re in, even in a labor union, there’s a political outcome they’re hoping to influence,” Cronrath said.
The Republican primary in the race will be on Aug. 20.
Leek said he does not have any thoughts on Shoar or the other candidates but said he has the backing of the four county sheriffs in his district, including Shoar’s successor, St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick.
Leek’s website also said he has been endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Shoar issued a statement to News4JAX about his candidacy on Tuesday:
“I am running for the Florida Senate because we need consistent conservative leaders who have the courage to stand for our shared values and fight back against the special interests and liberals who are destroying our country. This is no time for half measures. We are in a fight for the heart and soul of our nation. I have dedicated my life to service in uniform, from the streets of St. Augustine as a patrolman, to the sands of Iraq as an Army Combat Engineer, to my 16 years as St. Johns County Sheriff. I have always defended the Constitution. I am ready to take on the politicians and political insiders and hold them accountable. I will stand with President Trump, as I did in 2016, and again in 2020, to stop illegal immigration, combat Biden’s inflation and get our insurance costs under control. Together, we will restore a sense of law and justice in our country.”