Gwen Graham might run for governor

Redrawn congressional lines that plunked U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham’s seat into Republican territory prompted the congresswoman to announce she won’t seek re-election this year and instead will gear up for a possible run for governor in 2018.

Graham, a Democrat from Tallahassee who unseated two-term Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, in 2014, announced her potential gubernatorial bid Thursday morning in a slick YouTube video emailed to supporters.

While not entirely a surprise, her announcement promised to shake up a potential field of Governor’s Mansion hopefuls including Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a Republican, and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, a Democrat.

She noted in the video the redistricting battle that led to her decision, saying “the politicians, the lobbyists and courts in Tallahassee” had been busy redrawing congressional district lines, “turning what was an example of a fair district into two partisan districts.”

“Our state government is just dysfunctional,” she said. “And this causes me to rethink how I can best serve the people of North Florida and our state. Floridians are hungry for new leadership, and I’m so excited to tell your first that I’m seriously considering running for governor in 2018.”

Graham, a pragmatist who has upset some in her party for siding with the GOP on issues from the Keystone XL pipeline to President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, touted her accomplishments in Congress.

“One hug at a time, I’ve built friendships with members of both sides of the aisle,” she said. “I’ve helped pass common sense reforms, fought to clean up Congress and rallied the Florida delegation and the local community to save the Apalachicola Bay.”

Her announcement prompted Democratic colleagues to applaud her efforts in the House, with some encouraging her to make the run.

“I know what kind of leadership our state needs,” said Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach, outgoing House Democratic leader. “We need a governor that respects and cares about the people of our state — Gwen Graham is that type of leader.”

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, called her a “great partner” in the House.

“From her work on the Apalachicola Bay to fighting oil drilling off our beaches, she always puts Florida first,” he said. “She’s accomplished much, and I know we’re going to continue to see great things from her in the future.”

But Republicans pounced. Evan Power, chairman of the Leon County Republican Party, said Graham made the right decision to not run in an overwhelmingly Republican district. But he suggested her blame for the redistricting changes was misplaced.

“Congresswoman Graham claimed in her video that Tallahassee is broken and that is why her district was redrawn,” he said. “In fact, it was her partners in the liberal League of Women Voters who split Leon County and her district. It is that kind of approach that is the last thing we need in Tallahassee and especially the Governor’s Mansion.”

In 2012, the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and others sued after lawmakers passed a congressional redistricting plan for the state. The Supreme Court later found that the GOP-led Legislature took part in partisan gerrymandering in violation of state constitutional amendments passed in 2010. The high court ordered new maps drawn.

What resulted was a new map that split Leon County into two congressional districts: a decidedly Republican-leaning 2nd District, running from Panama City through Tallahassee and along the southern Big Bend near Ocala, and a minority-access 5th District, running from Jacksonville through Tallahassee and Gadsden County.

Graham, a 53-year-old attorney, has already raised more than $2.1 million, according to the latest federal campaign finance reports. Putnam, who hasn’t declared his candidacy, has raised more than $4 million through his political committee, Florida Grown.

In her video, she noted she helped return more than $1 million to constituents, including veterans and seniors, while cutting her own office budget by 10 percent.

Graham, the daughter of former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, has introduced 13 bipartisan bills since coming to Congress, including measures to combat attacks on Israel through underground tunnels, eliminate congressional perks and help returning veterans.

She also continued her father’s tradition of “workdays,” connecting with her constituents by working side by side with them on jobs from flying in a fighter jet to testing the water quality at Wakulla Springs.

Her campaign sent out an email message signed by her dad, who said, “As a father, I couldn’t be more proud of her work in Congress — and as a Floridian, I couldn’t be more excited about the prospect of her next step in public service to our state.”

She said in the video it’s time “to remind the Legislature, governor and lobbyists that when they come to the state Capitol, they’re in North Florida. And we have a certain way of doing things here. We govern in the sunshine. We serve the people. And we care for our neighbors.”

Repeating her 2014 campaign mantra, she said, “We call it the North Florida way. And it’s missing in the state Capitol. Working together, we can bring common sense back to Tallahassee and make our state work for the people again.”

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.