Former Tampa councilman Tom Scott weighs run for elections post

TAMPA He served more than 14 years on the Hillsborough County Commission and the Tampa City Council before making an unsuccessful run for Tampa mayor last year.

Now, after a year-long hiatus, Democrat Tom Scott wants to return to local politics.

Scott, 57, said he is plotting a run for Hillsborough County's supervisor of elections in November, a four-year position overseeing one of the state's largest electorates.

"I'm seriously considering it," Scott said Wednesday. "Since the mayoral election I've had a lot of supporters calling me and urging me to get involved in politics again."

If he enters the race, the move would prompt a primary between him and Craig Latimer, the other Democrat in the race and chief of staff for current supervisor, Earl Lennard.

Latimer is a former Hillsborough sheriff's detective who was named chief of staff under former Supervisor of Elections Phyllis Busansky. After Busansky's death, Latimer threw his name in the hat to take her place, but Gov. Charlie Crist chose Lennard.

State Rep. Rich Glorioso, a Plant City Republican who is termed out after serving eight years in the state House, also is running for elections supervisor in the Nov. 6 election.

A retired Air Force colonel, Glorioso served as a Plant City commissioner from 1998 to 2004, including stints as vice chairman of the Public Transportation Commission and chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, among other committee posts.

One other Republican, Julianne De Priest, also has filed to run for the office.

Lennard, a Republican and former Hillsborough schools superintendent, isn't seeking re-election.

Scott, an ordained minister, was elected to the city council in 2007 and served a four-year term on the policy-setting body. He served on the Hillsborough Commission from 1996 to 2006, including two stints as chairman of the body that governs the county.

In last year's mayoral election, Scott placed last among the five veteran candidates.

In May, Scott was tapped by Mayor Bob Buckhorn to fill a vacancy on the Tampa Sports Authority. The TSA manages Raymond James Stadium and three city golf courses.