Agriculture commissioner officially joins race for governor

TALLAHASSEE — Republican Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam filed paperwork to run for governor Monday and will formally announce his candidacy during an event in his hometown next week.

He is a fifth-generation Floridian from a Polk County family of ranchers and citrus growers.

“I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world because I get to call Florida home. It’s our responsibility as Floridians to keep our economy at work, to increase access to high quality education, to fiercely protect our personal freedoms, to keep our state safe, and to welcome our veterans home with open arms,” Putnam said in a statement.

He will make a formal announcement in Bartow on May 10.

He is the first major Republican to enter the race.

Democrats running include Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Winter Park businessman Chris King. Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, who has said she wants to run for governor, has planned an announcement today in Miami.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott must leave office because of term limits. Putnam has been mentioned as a possible candidate for years. His political committee, Florida Grown, has raised more than $10.5 million in two years.

As Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services commissioner, Putnam, 42, has promoted Florida produce, meat and seafood and is in charge of investigating consumer complaints. The department also manages 1 million acres of forest and fights wildfires.

Among his priorities in recent years has been protecting the state’s water supply, cracking down on credit card skimmers illegally placed in gas pumps and fighting citrus greening.