Atwater Passes on Senate Bid
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater made headlines this weekend when he announced that he will forego a potential opportunity to run for the U.S. Senate in 2016. Current U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is expected to announce his bid for the presidency next week, creating an opening for interested candidates to jump into the race to replace him. Atwater was considered a strong candidate for the seat considering his success in two statewide races and his statewide fundraising base. Atwater drew more votes than any other statewide candidate in the last election cycle.
In announcing that he will not run for U.S. Senate, Atwater said he has received considerable encouragement to run. “While I have certainly taken these words of support under consideration, I will not be a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016,” Atwater said. “I remain committed to only one endeavor and that is to be the best CFO I can be for the people of Florida.”