Shannon Rose sent along the following:
Former Pro Wrestler to Run for Florida State House
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2009
BRIAN BLAIR TO RUN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 47, VOWS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
— Files paperwork with State Division of Elections on Monday, 8/17/09 —
Tampa, FL – Brian Blair has officially announced his candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives.
Blair, a former WWE pro wrestler and businessman, spent four years as a staunch supporter of the taxpayer, and now he is ready to take that same watchdog mentality to Tallahassee.
“I am running for State Representative because I want to use my experience as a businessman to help create jobs, reduce the size of state government, and defend traditional values,” Blair said immediately after filing his paperwork with the State Division of Elections. “I believe we can accomplish these goals without raising taxes.”
Blair served four years as a Hillsborough County Commissioner. As a Commissioner, he fought for tax relief for residents and businesses and won. As a result of his efforts, the largest property tax cut in county history was passed. “I’m very proud of having kept a lot of the hard-earned money of Hillsborough residents in their pockets rather than the government’s. I feel we need the same kind of effort on the state level,” Blair says of his Commissioner days.
In addition to serving as a County Commissioner, Blair points to his eleven years (1989 – 2000) as owner of Blair’s Health and Fitness Centers, Inc. (d.b.a. Gold’s Gyms), where he created jobs and met payrolls, as giving him the experience to ensure Tallahassee manages taxpayer money wisely.
Blair started his first Gold’s Gyms location in 1989 and soon after, built a multi-location business where he managed a multi-million dollar budget and about 100 employees for over a decade.
“Our Fitness Centers received more achievement awards than any other operation in the Gold’s Gyms worldwide network, which was more than 500 locations,” Blair says proudly. “I know what it takes to balance a budget, make payrolls and make a difference.”
Blair listed access to quality; affordable health care; improving infrastructure; and mentoring programs for children as top issues facing Florida. Blair has over 7,000 documented hours in community service, including managing and coaching baseball at Forest Hills Pony League. He also speaks as part of the Great American Teach-In, American Education Week and other events.
“Mentoring children is something that’s very important to me,” Blair says. “We have to keep our kids safe. The best way to do that is to keep kids on the right path to becoming upstanding citizens and positive contributors to our society.”
Brian Blair lives in Tampa with his wife, Toni. The Blairs have been married for 23 years and have two children—Brett, 17, and Bradley, 14.
House District 47 is being vacated by Republican Kevin Ambler, who is term limited and running for State Senate. House District 47 is comprised of parts of Hillsborough County. The Republican Primary is on August 24, 2010 and the General Election is on November 2, 2010.
