News

Election 2004

Legg takes first steps on new role's journey

Freshly elected to the state House, John Legg sent faxes to its leader as he prepares to "get right to work."

By MELIA BOWIE
Published November 4, 2004

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Hours after 29-year-old teacher John Legg was elected to Florida's House of Representatives, he was on the phone setting up his agenda in Tallahassee.

Faxes went out late Tuesday night to the speaker of the House from Legg, requesting positions on various committees including education appropriations, elder affairs and health regulation.

"These were some of my priorities" in the campaign, Legg said Wednesday as he prepared to fly to Tallahassee for "new legislator" orientation.

After a long and contentious campaign against 58-year-old Democrat Dee Thomas for west Pasco's District 46, Legg said he now wants to move forward.

"We're getting right to work," he said.

Not long after his win Tuesday night he thanked newly re-elected state Sen. Mike Fasano for his support during the race and then "we talked about filing a bill to repeal phone rates," he said.

Meanwhile, Thomas said she was disappointed in the loss but "I've got some things on the back burner."

She and Legg did not talk after the election.

"I thought it would be inappropriate for me to call her," said Legg, noting his opponent is "a great lady. I'm sure she's going to work hard in the community."

Thomas said Wednesday: "(Legg) hasn't called me and I don't see myself reaching out, not yet."

Legg's schedule remained busy that morning.

First was a meeting with Republican Heather Fiorentino, who last held the District 46 seat. The talk included constituent issues and advice for Legg.

Among the challenges Legg must now juggle are his roles as an elected official and his professional life.

As founder of Dayspring Academy - Pasco's first charter school - he serves as both a teacher and an administrator for the school's 350 students.

Now he must relinquish some of those duties.

And "obviously I'm going to have to take a very significant pay cut," he said noting he earns upwards of $45,000 as both an administrator and a government and history teacher to 160 students.

State representatives earn $29,916 per year.

"My goal is to still be able to teach part time maybe one or two days a week," Legg said.

Currently he is scouting for sites to open a local District 46 office. (Fiorentino was leasing her location at 6125 Grand Blvd. in New Port Richey.)

But "I want to have our office staff (by) Monday or Tuesday," he said, noting the door is open for his campaign manager, Chris Sprowls, to join the staff.

Sprowls, a 20-year old cancer survivor with Hodgkin's disease, might have other opportunities soon.

Despite the campaign's youth, Legg said Republican Party of Florida leaders were "astonished" with the race's success - largely run by Sprowls.

The charter school founder beat out a silver-haired Thomas 56 percent to 43 percent - a difference that Legg called "humbling."

"This was a Pasco seat," Legg said of his success - especially after a 2002 loss to state Rep. Tom Anderson for a District 45 seat. That district straddles Pasco and Pinellas, where Anderson had the advantage.

"This is my back yard," Legg said. "I grew up here. I went to college here. I go to church here." He added his age was also an advantage with voters.

"A lot of times candidates kind of blend into a pack. Being younger, I think it made me stand out a little ... whereas Dee at the end of the campaign (her) message was kind of getting blurred," Legg said.

Not so with him. "I'm their grandson. They raised me. Their values are my values and they want someone who's going to fight diligently for them."

Thomas, however, said she does not envy the road Legg has ahead of him. This week she returned to work at her employee-owned physical therapy firm.

"I'm still here. Back at old Ewing & Thomas and healing people," she said. After a yearlong campaign, "obviously I'm disappointed."

Legg "garnered their votes, now he must garner their trust," she said of constituents, noting a heated race that spurred state Democrats to accuse Legg and his supporters of smear tactics and to consider a libel lawsuit on Thomas' behalf.

"I don't envy John's role or the Legislature's," she said. "They have some very tough issues to deal with and it goes beyond stump speeches."

Noting she ran a "clean, honest campaign," Thomas called it too soon to consider another run for public office. But, she said, "I'm proud to have been able to go through the process. I'm really honored to have been able to participate in our democracy."

[Last modified November 4, 2004, 00:41:23]

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