Everett Rice, a Republican who spent 16 years leading the office, was planning to retire this year.
By CARRIE JOHNSON
Published June 4, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - Pinellas County Sheriff Everett Rice plans to announce as early as today that he will run for the state House seat vacated by Rep. Don Sullivan.
Rice, 59, is not seeking re-election and planned to retire when his fourth term as sheriff expires at the end of the year. Then Sullivan surprised Republicans Wednesday when he announced he will not run again for the Florida House of Representatives.
The timing was ideal, Rice said.
"I was kind of looking forward to retirement," he said, "but at the same time I was worried about missing public service."
Rice, a Republican, has served as Pinellas County's top law enforcement official for 16 years. He trounced two challengers in the 2000 election, winning 67 percent of the vote.
Rice has spent more than 37 years in law and law enforcement. When he took the helm in 1988, the Sheriff's Office was plagued with complaints of cronyism and financial irregularities. It had been the subject of investigations by the FBI and the U.S. attorney.
Now Rice is widely credited for cleaning up the department and making it more professional.
In addition to his law enforcement experience, Rice has a law degree from Stetson University College of Law and spent 31/2 years with a private criminal practice.
As a past president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, Rice said he already has experience with government on the state level and frequently spends much of the legislative session in Tallahassee.
"I'd really like to participate in the policy process on a state level," he said.
Rice would run in District 54, a heavily Republican area that includes part of St. Petersburg and many beach communities. More than 45 percent of registered voters in the district are Republicans.
Sullivan won a special election for the seat last year and served for just one legislative session after spending 10 years in the state Senate. He decided not to run for re-election after concluding he would be unlikely to gain a position of power before being forced out by term limits.
Former Clearwater City Commissioner Ed Hooper, a Republican and co-owner of a government and land use consulting business, also has said he plans to run for Sullivan's seat.
Pinellas Republican Chairman Paul Bedinghaus said Rice will be an excellent candidate.
"I talked it over with him and I was real high on the idea," Bedinghaus said. "I think it's a great move."
