For Perry Thurston, the August 26 primary may be his first step on the way to history. If elected this year, Thurston would be the first black Attorney General and the first elected black cabinet officer since Reconstruction.
“I believe that with success comes an obligation to serve,” said Thurston. “I am blessed to have had opportunities in my life and I want to use those opportunities to improve the lives of others. Pam Bondi and Rick Scott have wrecked our state and I want to be part of repairing the damage.”
Thurston graduated from Morehouse College in 1982 with honors in Finance. He worked at a bank for two years but left after witnessing injustice in the workplace. As a result, he went to law school and graduated in 1987. He served in the Broward County Public Defenders’ office before entering private practice in criminal defense and public finance.
“I made a promise when I became a defense attorney – I would always do my best and respect my clients’ wishes,” said Thurston. “I had seen too many people rolled over by a system that did not care about them. I think everyone deserves someone that will fight for them.”
In 2006, Thurston was elected as a State Representative for Fort Lauderdale and Broward. He focused on voting rights, protecting education and raising the minimum wage. Progress Florida named him a “Middle-Class Champion” based on his voting record. In 2012, his colleagues elected him Democratic Leader.
Thurston has achieved notoriety for his aggressive style. Last year, the Sunshine State News editorialized that he “never hesitated in taking the fight to Republicans.” During the 2013 session, he masterminded a “read the bills” strategy that brought the House to standstill until the body acted on Medicaid expansion. In 2014, he forced a vote on repealing Stand Your Ground despite pundits declaring the issue dead.
“Perry is a fighter,” said Chris Smith, the Democratic Leader in the State Senate. “He has stood up to Rick Scott, Pam Bondi, and the entire Republican leadership in Tallahassee. For sure he doesn’t just go along to get along.”
Polls have consistently shown Thurston statistically tied with his Republican opponent Pam Bondi. But strategists say turnout will be critical.
“We need high African-American turnout,” said Jon Nixon, Thurston’s Field Coordinator. “Not just on November 4, but in the Democratic primary on August 26. We can’t miss this opportunity to make history.”
The Democratic primary is August 26.
