Rep. Dorworth close to securing Florida House speakership?
posted by Aaron Deslatte on Nov 7, 2008 10:12:08 AM
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Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, could be well on his way to securing the job of Florida House speaker for the 2014-16 term.

Roughly half of Florida’s class of 27 freshmen House Republicans elected Tuesday plan to gather for lunch today at the Gaylord Palms resort in Kissimmee so Dorworth can make his sales-pitch for the powerful job.

The event is being organized by GOP Reps. Kurt Kelly, R-Ocala, and newly elected Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, two new legislators who both have cast their lots with Dorworth.

Dorworth is competing for the job with Pensacola-area Republican Rep. Clay Ford and newly elected Rep. Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville.

Dorworth’s backers claim that out of a pool of 42 potential pledges in the Legislature now, the Seminole County Republican has already secured support from 14 of the 2008 class and two members of the 2006 class.

Dorworth’s supporters obviously hope to avoid a protracted campaign that could stretch into future election cycles, since the caucus won’t actually vote until sometime after 2012 over who becomes the speaker following Wesley Chapel Rep. Will Weatherford.

House Republicans maintained a safe majority in Tuesday's election, and look like they'll be calling the shots in the legislature for many years to come.

Dorworth was just elected to the House last year, but leadership decisions get made these days before the ink on the paper ballots dries.

House Speaker-Designate Ray Sansom, R-Destin, has yet to install his favorite drapes in Marco Rubio’s office (we trust the FSU graduate is also purging the room of all Rubio’s Gator paraphernalia), while Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, is locked up for the job in 2010-12, to be followed by Weatherford, and then, possibly Dorworth.