Sirois to run for reelection to Florida House, rather than seek Senate seat
Florida Rep. Tyler Sirois says he has decided to seek reelection to his Florida House District 31 seat in 2024, rather than run for a Florida Senate seat against fellow Republican Rep. Randy Fine.
"For the past few weeks I have given serious consideration to running for the Florida Senate in 2024," Sirois said. "While I appreciate the encouragement of my family and friends, I have decided the best course for me is to continue as a member of the Florida House of Representatives."
Sirois, a 38-year-old resident of Merritt Island, had been considering seeking the Senate District 19 seat now held by Republican Sen. Debbie Mayfield, who cannot seek reelection in 2024 because of term limits.
Fine on Jan. 19 announced that he would run for Mayfield's current Senate seat, which includes central and south Brevard. Fine, a resident of Melbourne Beach, is starting his fourth two-year term in the Florida House, representing District 33 in south Brevard, and cannot seek reelection to the House in 2024 because of term limits.
In announcing that he would seek reelection to the House, Sirois said: "As I stand for reelection to my next term in the House, I remain focused on expanding vocational and technical training opportunities for students, cleaning up the Indian River Lagoon, and supporting our law enforcement and veterans."
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Sirois said he has talked with a number of people in recent weeks about his 2024 campaign plans, including Mayfield ― who Sirois said he considers "a mentor and a friend" ― and with Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, whose endorsement is seen as a boon for Republican candidates in Brevard. Sirois said he wants to keep the content of those discussions private, adding that, ultimately, it was his decision alone to bypass a possible Senate campaign and run for reelection to the House instead.
Meanwhile, Fine has been building up a list of political endorsement for his Senate race, including from Reps. Thad Altman, Webster Barnaby and Chase Tramont; Republican Party of Florida Chairman and Florida Sen. Joe Gruters; and former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos.
Additionally, Fine’s political committee, Friends of Randy Fine, has almost $500,000 on hand as he begins his Senate campaign.
Sirois said he feels he has a lot of work to do in the House during his current 2023-24 term, and, if reelected in 2024, during the 2025-26 term. This includes working on projects to help the Indian River Lagoon, reduce property taxes and expand vocational education.
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A Senate campaign, Sirois said, would take time away from focusing on that work.
Sirois said, with the Florida House seniority system, a fourth-term legislator has a better chance to get legislation approved, to get appropriations into the state budget and to serve in leadership roles on key committees.
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Sirois' House district includes Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, northern Satellite Beach, the section of Merritt Island north of Pineda Causeway, Cocoa, Port St. John and southern Titusville.
Contact Berman at [email protected], on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Sirois to seek reelection to Florida House, rather than run for Senate
