HARIDOPOLOS
Michael

• 1. Political career

Michael John Haridopolos is an American politician, consultant, and former educator serving as the U.S. representative from Florida's 8th congressional district since 2025.

A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Florida Senate from 2003 to 2012 and was Senate president from 2010 to 2012. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2003.

In 2024, Haridopolos was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 8th congressional district, an open seat following incumbent Bill Posey's decision not to seek reelection.

Political career

In 2000, Haridopolos won an open seat in the Florida House, after winning a six-way Republican primary by over 30 percentage points and later won the November general election 65-35%. He won the 2002 Republican primary following re-apportionment with over 82% of the vote and was re-elected to the Florida House with 79% of the vote in the general election.

In January 2003, State Senator Howard Futch died, and a special election was called in order to elect a new senator. Haridopolos won the Republican Party primary with 84% of the vote, and he won 63% of the vote in the general election to win the remainder of the four-year senate term.

In 2008, Haridopolos passed on an open Congressional race with the retirement of Congressman Dave Weldon. Weldon and others asked Haridopolos to run, including the eventual nominee, Bill Posey. Haridopolos endorsed Posey. Posey went on to win both the Republican primary and general election. Haridopolos said that he wanted to focus on his likely role as Senate President and continue his push to make the Florida Senate more conservative.

In both 2006 and 2010, Haridopolos was re-elected without opposition to the Florida Senate. Haridopolos actively supported conservative candidates throughout the state in the 2006, 2008, and 2010 election cycles. In the Florida Senate, Haridopolos served as Majority Whip from 2006 to 2008 and, in 2009, was elected President of the Senate. He was sworn in as Senate President on November 16, 2010, for a two-year term. He presided over the largest Republican majority (28-12) since Reconstruction.

Haridopolos sought the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Bill Nelson in 2012. On July 18, 2011, Haridopolos released a campaign video stating that he would no longer seek the nomination, effectively ending his campaign.

His candidacy received a number of endorsements, including former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, U.S. Congressman Connie Mack, CFO Jeff Atwater, and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. He dropped out of the campaign in July 2011 in order to focus on his position as President of the Florida Senate.