Ritch Workman
Ritch Workman is a former Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 52 from 2008 to 2016.
Workman did not seek re-election to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016 because he was term-limited. Instead, Workman was a 2016 Republican candidate for District 17 of the Florida State Senate. He was defeated in the Republican primary by Debbie Mayfield.
Workman was appointed to the Public Service Commission in September 2017 but later withdrew due to sexual misconduct allegations. To read more click here.
Biography
Workman's professional experience includes working as the co-owner of the Workman Group. He served in the National Guard from 1990 to 2005.[1]
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Workman served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Finance & Tax |
| • Regulatory Affairs |
| • Rules, Calendar & Ethics, Chair |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Workman served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Rules & Calendar |
| • State Affairs |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Workman served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Economic Affairs |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Workman served on the following committees:
| Florida committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Roads, Bridges & Ports Policy, Vice chair |
| • Elder & Family Services Policy |
| • Government Operations Appropriations |
| • Insurance, Business & Financial Affairs Policy |
| • Public Counsel Oversight |
Issues
Law enforcement drones
On January 5, 2013, Workman introduced HB 119, the proposed "Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act." Workman's bill would have banned law enforcement use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) with exceptions for counter-terrorism operations, surveillance for which a warrant has been obtained, and surveillance for which law enforcement personnel have "reasonable suspicion" that immediate action is needed. HB 119 would have also allowed people injured by governmental violation of these restrictions to sue the offending law enforcement agencies. The Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee unanimously approved HB 119 on February 7. After being reported out of the Local and Federal Affairs Committee, the Judiciary Committee substituted the bill with the similar SB 92, introduced by Joe Negron in the Florida State Senate on December 5, 2012. SB 92 passed 39-0 in the Senate and the 117-0 in the House in April 2013.[2][3]
Political Courage Test
Workman provided answers to the Florida State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test. The test informs voters how a candidate would vote on the issues if elected. When asked his legislative positions he responded:
"The shift from Government land conservation to private sector conservation. What land is owned by the government must be opened for public use. The reduction of all non-essential spending and a return to the basic rolls of government. The returning of Florida's home-owners insurance market to the free market (Insurance reform) and a comprehensive reform of the Florida tax structure."[4]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2016
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Florida State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 30, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 24, 2016.
Debbie Mayfield defeated Amy Tidd in the Florida State Senate District 17 general election.[5][6]
| Florida State Senate, District 17 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Debbie Mayfield |
62.12% | 164,146 | |
| Democratic | Amy Tidd | 37.88% | 100,091 | |
| Total Votes | 264,237 | |||
| Source: Florida Division of Elections | ||||
Amy Tidd ran unopposed in the Florida State Senate District 17 Democratic primary.[7][8]
| Florida State Senate, District 17 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Amy Tidd (unopposed) | |
Debbie Mayfield defeated Mike Thomas and Ritch Workman in the Florida State Senate District 17 Republican primary.[7][8]
| Florida State Senate, District 17 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Debbie Mayfield |
42.17% | 23,471 | |
| Republican | Mike Thomas | 22.79% | 12,685 | |
| Republican | Ritch Workman | 35.04% | 19,501 | |
| Total Votes | 55,657 | |||
2014
Elections for the Florida House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 26, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 20, 2014. Incumbent Ritch Workman was unopposed in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[9][10]
2012
Workman won election in the 2012 election for Florida House of Representatives District 52. Workman ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012, and was unchallenged in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[11]
2010
Workman won re-election to the 30th District seat in 2010. He had no opposition in the August 24 primary. Workman defeated Amy Tidd in the November 2, 2010, general election.[12]
| Florida House of Representatives, District 30 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Ritch Workman (R)
|
37,909 | 61.27% | ||
| Amy Tidd (D) | 23,966 | 38.73% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Workman won election to the Florida House of Representatives from Florida's 30th District, defeating Amy Tidd (D). Workman received 46,218 votes in the election while Tidd received 39,728 votes.[13] Workman raised $157,103 for his campaign; Tidd raised $26,130.[14]
| Florida House of Representatives, District 30 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Ritch Workman (R)
|
46,218 | 53.8% | ||
| Amy Tidd (D) | 39,728 | 46.2% | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Florida scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2016
In 2016, the Florida State Legislature was in session from January 12 through March 11.
- Legislators are scored on their stances on economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- Legislators are scored on their stances on healthcare related issues.
- Legislators are scored on whether the organization believes they are making an effort to provide “a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education.”
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Florida State Legislature was in session from March 3 through May 1.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Florida State Legislature was in session from March 3 through May 5.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Florida State Legislature was in session from March 5 through May 3.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Workman has been a member and president of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers, and a member of the Rockledge Rotary Club.[1]
Noteworthy events
Resignation following sexual harassment allegation (2017)
Workmen resigned from his position on December 4, 2017, after state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) released a statement saying that he had made inappropriate gestures to her at a public event.[15]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for Ritch + Workman + Florida + House
See also
- Florida House of Representatives
- House Committees
- Florida State Legislature
- Florida state legislative districts
- Florida State Senate
- Florida State Senate District 17
- Florida State Senate elections, 2016
External links
- Profile from Open States
- Project Vote Smart profile
- Campaign Contributions: 2012, 2008
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Project Vote Smart, "Rep. Workman Biography," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ Florida House of Representatives, "Bill summary for Florida HB 119," April 1, 2013
- ↑ Florida State Senate, "Bill summary for Florida CS/SB 92," April 1, 2013
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Rep. Workman Issue Positions," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ Florida Department of State, "Candidate listing for 2016 general election," accessed September 12, 2016
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "November 8, 2016 Official Election Results," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Florida Department of State, "Candidates and Races," accessed July 1, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Florida Division of Elections, "August 30, 2016 Official Election Results," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "2014 Florida Election Watch - Multi-County or District Offices," accessed September 3, 2014
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Candidate Listing for 2014 General Election," accessed June 23, 2014
- ↑ Florida Secretary of State Election Division, "Candidate List," accessed June 21, 2012
- ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Florida Election Watch - 2010 Election results," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Florida House Official Election Results," November 4, 2008
- ↑ followthemoney.org, "District 30 Florida House candidate funds, 2008," November 4, 2008
- ↑ Miami Herald, "Another sexual harassment allegation in Tallahassee leads to a new resignation," December 4, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jeff Brandes (R) |
Florida House of Representatives District 52 2008–2016 |
Succeeded by Thad Altman (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Florida House of Representatives District 30 2008–2012 |
Succeeded by Karen Castor Dentel |
