The Hill is reporting:
Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) will not seek reelection in 2010 and is poised to launch a bid for Florida agriculture commissioner, a move that a GOP official said is a precursor to a run for governor.
Putnam told the Associated Press that on Monday he will file paperwork to enter the race for state agriculture commissioner, and will give up his seat in the House to run statewide in his home state. However, Putnam will serve out the remainder of his term in the lower chamber and officially announce plans for the 2010 election later this month, according to a Putnam spokesman.
This news is widely regarded as the worst kept political secret in Florida. There is also confident speculation about his future plans.
A Republican official with close ties to Putnam said that, in Florida, the agriculture commissioner is a highly coveted job and is often seen as a stepping-stone to the governor’s office.
“It’s the equivalent of what on a national stage would be a Secretary of State position,” the official said.
I wish him well.
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