Eight-termer Posey won't seek reelection to Congress. Haridopolos among five seeking seat

In a surprise move Friday, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey announced his retirement from Congress within hours of former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos filing his paperwork to run for the office.

Posey, who plans to finish out his current eighth term, on Friday afternoon endorsed Haridopolos for the seat.

Haridopolos will be among three Republicans seeking the 8th District seat now held by Posey, R-Rockledge. Two Democrats also qualified to run for the seat. The district covers all of Brevard and Indian River counties, as well as parts of eastern Orange County.

For Posey, 76, this year will end a career in elected office that dates back to 1976. Posey was first elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. He previously served in the Florida Senate, the Florida House of Representatives and the Rockledge City Council.

More: Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Posey squares off against Democrat Joanne Terry

Posey's announcement came shortly after the candidate qualifying period ended at noon Friday, thus preventing other candidates from entering the race. Haridopolos' entry into the race came shortly before the deadline.

In a statement Posey issued Friday afternoon, he said: "It has been the greatest honor" of he and his wife, Katie’s, lives "to represent you in Congress. And polls suggest that, because of your support, I could remain in the job forever, and we were looking forward to another spirited campaign for a final term in office. However, earlier this week, circumstances beyond my control now require me to suspend my reelection campaign."

He did not elaborate on what those circumstances were.

"Without going into a lot of personal details, stars aligned during the past week, and Mike decided he was ready for Congress. I enthusiastically endorse him, and will do everything I can to help him get elected," Posey said.

Posey said he "will continue to devote all possible resources to continue representing you through the end of my current term, helping President Donald Trump return to the Oval Office, and supporting former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, in whom I have the greatest trust and confidence, to take up my battles against the swamp and replace me as your congressman. There are many people qualified to replace me. Unfortunately, until Mike Haridopolos committed to run, the other declared candidates were not among them."

Haridopolos, a resident of Indian Harbour Beach, served in the Florida Senate from 2003 to 2012, after serving in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2003. He now owns and operates MJH Consulting, a business and political consulting and lobbying firm.

As the candidate qualifying period ended at noon Friday, Posey, Haridopolos, two other Republicans and two Democrats qualified to run for the seat. Posey then made his announcement.

There will be both Republican and Democratic primaries on Aug. 20 for the seat. The winners of the primaries will face one another in the Nov. 5 general election. The seat has been held by a Republican since 1994.

More: Mike Haridopolos continues to influence politics through 'zombie campaign' | Opinion

Other Republican candidates who qualified for the ballot are Joe Babits of Vero Beach and John Hearton of Satellite Beach.

Democratic candidates who qualified included Sandy Kennedy of Cocoa and Daniel McDow of West Melbourne, who is a member of the City Council there.

In Posey's statement, he noted that, for many years, Haridopolos "has served as my Congressional Finance Committee Chairman, while I have mentored him to replace me. Mike was, and remains, my first choice to represent you, me and our district in Congress."

Posey added that "Mike’s conservative values and work ethic are superior, and, unlike others who have filed to run against me, Mike has never lied to me or tried undermine efforts to represent our district. Mike knows our district and has stayed involved at local, state and federal levels. He is clearly the kind of representative we need in Congress, and I have no doubt he will excel in the job."

In announcing his candidacy, Haridopolos said: “Our nation is facing unprecedented problems here at home and overseas. Our southern border is in chaos. Illegal immigration is out of control. Higher prices are crushing our families and killing the American dream. It’s a mess, and we need leaders in Congress to stand up and fix it.”

Haridopolos said he is "no stranger to navigating legislative discord to get results for the people, and I pledge to bring my private-sector and leadership experience to Washington, D.C., to get the job done. As your congressman, I will stand with President Trump and his America First agenda.”

Haridopolos also thanked Posey "for his faithful service to our community, state and nation," adding: "I will work every day to live up to his legacy of service, and serve the people of District 8 with integrity and honor."

Documents posted on the Florida Division of Elections website show that Haridopolos' candidate paperwork and his $10,440 qualifying fee check to get on the ballot were received by the agency at 10:20 a.m. Friday and were hand-delivered.

In the 2022 general election, Posey defeated Democrat Joanne Terry, receiving 64.9% of the vote in the Republican-leaning district.

The 8th Congressional District has a voter registration makeup of 46% Republican; 26% Democrat; and 28% other, including members of minor political parties and registered voters with no party affiliation.

The annual salary for a member of Congress in $174,000.

Posey had led in campaign fundraising, according to reports filed through March 31 compiled by Open Secrets, a Washington-based nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that tracks spending in federal elections. Republicans Babits and Hearton for the most part are self-financing their campaigns so far.

Here are the numbers:

• Bill Posey: Raised $486,516; spent $330,199; cash on hand is $579,340 (including money rolled over from previous campaigns); amount self-financed is $0.

• John Hearton: Raised $157,265; spent $58,724; cash on hand is $98,541; amount self-financed is $140,000.

• Joe Babits: Raised $81,950; spent $69,321; cash on hand is $12,629; amount self-financed is $81,100.

• Daniel McDow: Raised $31,300; spent $22,119; cash on hand is $9,181; amount self-financed is $3,510.

• Haridopolos and Kennedy have not filed campaign financing reports yet.

The candidate qualifying deadline passed Friday with two other announced candidates for the seat not qualifying to run — Republican Brian Jones of Melbourne and no party affiliation candidate Henry Schuman of West Melbourne.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Posey won't seek reelection to Congress. Haridopolos, 4 other running