Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil wants to see Florida elect a new top cop.
He’s endorsing former state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez for Attorney General, siding with the Democrat and former Biden administration official over James Uthmeier, the Republican who now holds the job.
McNeil said he believes Rodríguez will best support police and Sheriffs across the Sunshine State.
“José Javier understands that keeping our communities safe requires partnership, experience, and a commitment to public service,” McNeil said.
“I believe he will work with Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, officers and deputies across our state to make sure law enforcement has the support and resources necessary to fight crime, protect our children, and keep Florida families safe. I’m proud to endorse José Javier Rodríguez for Attorney General.”
The nod from McNeil, a Democrat elected Sheriff in 2016, carries substantial law enforcement weight. His career spans more than four decades, including prior leadership of the Tallahassee Police Department and service as Secretary of both the Florida Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice.
He also served as President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Rodríguez said McNeil’s experience will be valuable as he pursues closer cooperation between the Attorney General’s Office and local law enforcement agencies.
“I’m honored to have Sheriff McNeil in this fight with me,” he said in a statement. “He has dedicated decades of his life to keeping our communities safe, and I deeply respect his service and leadership. As Attorney General, I’ll work alongside Sheriff McNeil and law enforcement across Florida to give them the tools they need to fight crime, protect our children, and keep Florida families safe.”
A Miami labor lawyer who served in the House from 2012 to 2016, in the Senate from 2016 to 2020, and as a U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor under former President Joe Biden, Rodríguez has run a campaign prioritizing violent-crime prevention, child protection, assistance for local police and cracking down on government corruption.
He also carries endorsements from U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor and Maxwell Frost; House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell; state Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis; state Reps. Anna Eskamani and Kevin Chambliss; Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor; and Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May.
Others backing him include former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, former Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth, former CFO Alex Sink, former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg and organizations including the Florida AFL-CIO, AFSCME Florida, SEIU Florida, Florida Education Association, Florida Professional Firefighters, Equality Florida PAC, SAVE Action PAC, Latino Victory Fund and VoteWater.
McNeil’s endorsement follows Rodríguez’s launch of a multimillion-dollar statewide advertising campaign whose opening commercial, “Give ’Em Hell,” presents his candidacy as a fight against corruption and powerful interests.
Uthmeier, formerly Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Chief of Staff, became Attorney General through appointment last year.
A St. Pete Polls survey conducted last month for Florida Politics found Uthmeier and Rodríguez statistically tied.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
