Joe Gruters announces bid for state senate

State representative Joe Gruters announced his plans to run for the Florida State Senate seat being vacated by Greg Steube.

Gruters, 40, has served as a state representative for District 73 since 2016, and will run to represent all of Sarasota County and part of Charlotte County in the state senate.

“I think I can continue to serve just in a different capacity at the state senate,” Gruters told the Sarasota Observer, adding that he’s been working more than 20 years to get to this point. “We go to battle on behalf of our local community organizations, not-for-profit organizations, local governments … I love the opportunity to help everybody out.”

According to a release, Gruters plans to fight for “good-paying jobs, cracking down on illegal immigration, and protecting the sanctity of life.”

A fourth generation Sarasotan, Gruters is serving his tenth year as Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota. He was also the co-chairman of President Donald Trump’s Florida presidential campaign, and is the former campaign manager of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan. He was recently nominated by Trump to serve on the Amtrak Board of Directors until 2022.

Gruters’ announcement was accompanied by a list of 50 local elected officials who endorse him, including Buchanan, Steube, Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight, four members of the Sarasota County Commission and four members of the Sarasota County School Board.

Gruters lives in Sarasota with his wife, Sydney, and their three children.

Steube announced in February his bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.