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Veteran Legislator Eyes Post In County

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI

kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com

Published: February 6, 2009

WESLEY CHAPEL - Former state Rep. Ken Littlefield on Thursday announced plans to challenge Pasco County Commissioner Pat Mulieri next year.

Littlefield filed paperwork with the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office Thursday morning to run for Mulieri's District 2 seat.

The Republican spent eight years representing House District 61, which covers southeast Pasco County and northeast Hillsborough County. He opted not to run for re-election in 2006 after former Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to the Public Service Commission, which regulates the state's utilities.

Months later, though, Gov. Charlie Crist announced he would replace the Wesley Chapel resident, saying he was not consumer-friendly enough.

Littlefield, 64, now runs the Statewide Advocacy Council. The group works out of the governor's office and investigates reported abuses in state agencies and programs dealing with health care and social services.

Mulieri, 70, first won election to the Board of County Commissioners in 1994. The Gowers Corners resident has not yet announced whether she plans to seek re-election to her central Pasco seat and could not be reached Thursday.

In a statement, Littlefield said he wanted to give voters "a legitimate choice of candidates" and to promote a better quality of life.

"Over the years, there have been contested races, but they haven't been competitive," Littlefield said Thursday. "With the experience I've had, with my background in policy work, I can be a legitimate choice."

Randy Maggard, chairman of the county's Republican Executive Committee, praised Littlefield's decision.

"It'll be a good contest," Maggard said. "He's a good candidate to run. Our main focus is to keep it a Republican seat."

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