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Florida Primary For Agriculture Commissioner Features 7 Candidates

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Election Day is right around the corner and voters are gathering information on several important races happening inside the state of Florida.

One of those elections is for Florida Agriculture Commissioner.

There are seven candidates running for the position being vacated by republican Adam Putnam, who is running for Florida Governor.

The four republicans vying for Putnam's job are Matt Caldwell, Denise Grimsley, Mike McCalister and Baxter Troutman.

Caldwell is a current member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 79.

He was first elected in 2010 and is unable to run for re-election due to term limits.

On his website, Caldwell states "Conservative Principles will guide my leadership as Commissioner of Agriculture & in the Florida Cabinet."

Grimsley is also currently a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 26.

She previously represented District 77 from 2004 to 2012.

"As Commissioner of Agriculture, Denise will bring her conservative Heartland values and commitment to serving others to Tallahassee to fight for our farmers, protect consumers and seniors, and defend our Second Amendment rights," Grimsley says on her website.

McCalister previously ran for office in 2012, losing a republican primary race for U.S. Senate.

He's a military veteran, serving on active duty for 33 years in the U.S. Army.

"Mike is committed to protecting Florida's Families' Food, Water, Freedom and Animals," his website reads.

Troutman is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives.

He represented District 66 from 2002 to 2010.

On his campaign website, Troutman list his issues as "water, second amendment, land availability, citrus greening, NAFTA, business, and right to life.

Moving to the other side of the aisle, the three democrats running for Florida Agriculture Commissioner are Nikki Fried, Jeffery Duane Porter and Roy David Walker.

Fried is an attorney that has worked with Florida lawmakers and regulators across the nation.

During the 2016 legislative session, she played a role in the passage of House Bill 307 which relates to the use of medical marijuana for the terminally ill.

Her website states "Ms. Fried has become one of most visible faces and key activists in Florida's burgeoning medical cannabis industry."

Porter was elected to his third term of Mayor of Homestead in 2017.

He had previously been elected Vice-Mayor and prior to that he served for ten years on the Homestead City Council.

Porter lists his important issues as "guns, gasoline skimming, climate change, north American free trade agreement, offshore drilling, and leadership."

Walker sits on the Everglades Regional Conservation Committee, is president of the South Florida Audubon Society and is vice president of the Broward Chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus.

"I want to put working people back in charge in Tallahassee. It's up to us to conserve and protect our environment from special interests, ensure food safety for the public, and increase protections for consumers in the Sunshine State," he says on his website.

HOW TO VOTE

There are three ways to cast your ballot.

Early voting, vote-by-mail ballot and in person on Election Day.

If you are planning to vote early, click the links below to find the list of open early voting locations.

Early voting locations in Miami-Dade *Early voting starts Monday August 13 in Miami-Dade County.

Early voting locations in Broward County *Early voting starts Saturday August 18 in Broward County.

Early voting ends in both counties on Sunday August 26.

The primary is Tuesday August 28.

It's best to know who you are going to vote for before you fill out your ballot, so why not give the ballot a once over before you head to the polls.

 

For more on Campaign 2018, click here.

For more voter information, FAQ's and helpful links, click here.

To see candidate interviews on CBSMiami.com, click here.

 

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