Florida Wins!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Edie Ousley, 850-521-1231 or 850-251-6261
eousley@flchamber.com

 Florida Voters Put Jobs & Education First & Believe Florida Is On The Right Track

TALLAHASSEE, FL. (November 4, 2014) – Florida wins at the ballot box on Election Day by putting Florida’s private sector job creation and positive education reforms ahead of the Washington, D.C.-style gridlock, absence of leadership and policy failures, the Florida Chamber announced today.

“Voters saw a clear distinction between Washington’s mismanagement and the positive movement Florida is making with Governor Rick Scott’s focus on private sector job creation and education reforms, and voted to put Florida first,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Voters are smart, and they voted to send a clear message to keep Florida moving in the right direction.”

Voter approval that Florida is on the right track is also a green light for elected leaders to work in a bipartisan fashion to tackle other big issues important to securing Florida’s future:

• Water & Energy – Preparing now to meet Florida’s growing population demands with a consistent and coherent energy policy and a plan to provide 28 percent more water by 2030.
• Healthcare – Producing smarter outcomes and bending the cost curve in healthcare.
• Transportation & Infrastructure – Investing to meet future population needs while improving and expanding major trade and freight corridors.
• Environment – Working with lawmakers to implement Amendment 1 in a manner that doesn’t take away investments in education, economic development, healthcare and other priority areas.
• Education – Continuing to reform at all levels of Florida’s education system to help diversify our economy, create job opportunities for future generations and meet the needs of Florida’s businesses.
• Government Pensions – Modernizing public pensions to create fiscally stable state and local governments.
• Economic Development – Continuing to focus on growing the private sector while diversifying Florida’s economy.

“The Florida Chamber congratulates Governor Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam for their victories tonight,” said Marian Johnson, Senior Vice President of Political Operations for the Florida Chamber.

GET OUT THE VOTE WAS THE KEY:

“Voter turnout was the key to helping job creators win their respective races,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Florida Chamber’s employer to employee get out the vote program FloridaWins.org was the most aggressive GOTV program in the Florida Chamber’s history. FloridaWins.org made a difference, and I’m grateful to all the employers who made it all possible.”

REELECTION OF FLORIDA CHAMBER-BACKED GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT:

“The Florida Chamber congratulates Governor Rick Scott on his reelection, and we look forward to working with Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature to accelerate private sector job growth through even more economic development,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

VOTERS AGREE WITH THE FLORIDA CHAMBER, SAY NO TO AMENDMENT 2:

“Legalizing drugs is not the type of business Florida needs. It’s bad for employers and bad for Florida’s brand. The Florida Chamber thanks Mel and Betty Sembler for their vision and courage to stand up against the deep pockets of billboard trial lawyers, and commends former Governor Jeb Bush, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and other leaders for helping defeat this bad idea,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT 1:

“The Florida Chamber has long-supported efforts to protect Florida’s natural resources and scenic beauty, including the Florida Forever program and Preservation 2000. While we opposed putting a 20-year spending mandate in Florida’s Constitution, we congratulate the passage of Amendment 1. We look forward to working with the Florida Legislature on a bipartisan strategy to secure Florida’s future while also ensuring it does not compromise investments in education, healthcare and economic development,” said David Hart, Executive Vice President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

FLORIDA CHAMBER POLITICAL OPERATION RESULTS:

During the 2014 election cycle, the Florida Chamber and its Political Operation team:

Endorsed Governor Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CFO Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Putnam,

We engaged in 29 primary election races and 62 general election candidates for House and Senate,

• Invested $7 million in voter education programs, including a TV advertisement,
• Defeated three trial lawyer candidates for the House of Representatives,
• Launched the game changing employer to employee www.FloridaWins.org,
• Engaged in digital and social media get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts,
• Conducted automated phone GOTV calls,
• Conducted routine political polling, and more.

A complete listing of 2014 General Election Results, including Florida Chamber-endorsed candidates for Governor, Cabinet, House and Senate are available at www.FloridaChamber.com.

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The Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations, aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.