Rep. Hooper draws a challenger

First-term Rep. Ed Hooper, a Clearwater Republican, has a challenger: Democrat Neil McMullen Jr. of Dunedin, a retired Methodist minister who is development director at USF's Suncoast Alzheimer's and Gerontology Center in Tampa.

McMullen, 57, is a member of a pioneer Pinellas family with roots in the Legislature. His grandfather, Sen. Donald McMullen, wrote the bill that created Pinellas County in 1913 and his father, Neil Sr., was a House member and later a judge, ccording to a biography that was assembled by House Democratic strategist Steve Schale.

Hooper, 60, a retired firefighter, won the seat in 2006 with a 55-45 percent victory over Democrat Candice Jovan. Of the eight state House seats touching Pinellas, it's dead even, with each party controlling four seats.

Comments

Firefighters need to get out and work hard on this one. They have been on a loosing streak but this needs to remain an R seat.

Losing streak?

They supported Sean Campbell, and he won on Tuesday.

They didn't support Matt Hudson, but he was running against a firefighter.

They supported Chris Dorworth, and he won.

That isn't a losing streak my any means.

big "L"

how about amendment 1?

GO GET 'EM NEIL!

Hooper is useless. He knows how to send out glossy flyers telling you he cares, but doesn’t actually respond to his constituents.

Oh, and by the way… he, along with the rest of those corporate minions has done nothing about Insurance rates (as promised), and nothing about taxes (as promised). Save the Amendment 1 spin… that charade (aka: Chuck’s Con) will be over within 6-months, when reality hits.

Did the Democrats' news release also say that McMullen DOESN'T even live in Hooper's district??? Or doesn't that matter any more?

The firefighters will come out and Rep. Hooper will win again.

They better come out and win or their power will be zip! It's not nice to work against our governor! Big "L"

1:14, Our Governor is an idiot, so is Hooper... and that would make the firefighters idiots for backing either one of them.

They'd better start thinking about supporting someone who actually supports them, rather than someone who kisses up for their vote.

Neil McMullen will be a very solid
candidate. The Democrats have stepped up the quality of candidates across the
county this time.

[Drama]

I think the firfighters will show their support. They got beat by the REALTORS though in House Special 101...greed motivates those REALTORS I guess!

Neil McMullen is a good man. Based on Hooper's record "for the people" of: NADDA... I'm up for a change.

Go for it Neil, you've got my vote.

[Anonymous]

To the nitwit at 1:59 PM- Hooper was a firefighter for about 30 years in Clearwater and I believe he was a Florida Firefighter of the Year one year during the 90s.

I think Neil is running against Anderson instead of Hooper since he lives in Anderson's district

To the dipstick at 4:47... duuuuh, and yet I repeat...

1:14, Our Governor is an idiot, so is Hooper... and that would make the firefighters idiots for backing either one of them.

They'd better start thinking about supporting someone who actually supports them, rather than someone who kisses up for their vote.

I guess we know why Hooper doesn’t answer his phone… he’s too busy blogging.