TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It's an important job, serving as the chief legal officer for millions of Floridians...but this election season, the attorney general's race has taken a backseat to the race at the top of the ticket.
"Not a lot of attention has been placed on the attorney general race and many of the other cabinet races, it's just at the top," said WTXL ABC27 Political Contributor Trimmel Gomes. "Everyone is focusing on the governor's race."
The responsibility of the attorney general is to protect Florida consumers from various types of fraud and enforce the state's antitrust laws.
What incumbent republican Attorney General Pam Bondi has going for her in this race, according to Gomes, is her campaign war chest -- from fundraising to her name recognition and accomplishments.
"We're taking on medicaid fraud, pill mills, gangs and more," says Bondi in a campaign ad. "And I'll fight to put human trafficking monsters where they belong, behind bars."
Her democratic opponent, George Sheldon, also has a long and impressive resume. He's served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives and as the secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Sheldon says as attorney general, he'll focus on more consumer related issues.
"It's a series of things that concern me about these high visible issues with Hobby Lobby, Chesapeake Bay, Marriage Equality or medical marijuana, when the attorney general ought to be focused on consumer protection, ought to be focused on really trying to hold down utility rates," said Sheldon.
But whether or not people will vote on promises made by the candidates is still unseen. Some political scientists believe people will vote along party lines, going down the ticket. So whom will that benefit? We will find out on November 4th.
There is also a third candidate, Bill Wohlsifer, who is running as an independent in the Florida attorney general race.
From now until election day, November 4, on WTXL ABC27 News at 6, we will be taking an in-depth look at different important races that voters will be voting on.
