Jim Lewis, who said today he
plans to run for Florida attorney general next
year, plans to run on an unorthodox platform. He
thinks fewer people should be sent to prison,
especially for drug crimes.
Despite that element of his
platform, the Fort Lauderdale lawyer isn't
seeking the Democratic nomination for attorney
general. He's a long-time Republican and said
he's seeking his party's nomination for the
state's top legal job.
“My message is going to be a
little different from the usual, especially
Republican, candidate running for this office,”
Lewis said. But, he said, he has a unique
perspective as someone who's worked as a
prosecutor, worked as a criminal defense lawyer,
and taught at Nova Southeastern University's law
school. He said that is better preparation than
the political experience enjoyed by the other
potential candidates for the job.
“I know what it's like to ask
somebody to death as a prosecutor. And I know
what it's like to defend them,” Lewis said.
Lewis, 51, also knows what it's
like to run for office. He has unsuccessfully
run for Fort Lauderdale mayor, Fort Lauderdale
city commissioner, Broward public defender,
circuit judge and state representative. His most
recent loss was the February primary for
District 4 City Commission. He came in third in
the four-candidate field, with just under 14
percent of the vote.
“People say, 'Well you've run
for office before,' and that's true. I've
learned and met a lot of people every time I've
run for office. I haven't been selected yet, but
this is truly what I've been called to do,”
Lewis said. “I'm not discouraged. I believe if
you work hard enough and if your heart's in the
right place, ultimately the voters will pick you
for something.”
Lewis said he thinks much about
the way the criminal justice system works
doesn't make sense. “I'm upset by the way that
we're spending money on just creating new prison
beds instead of creating alternatives.”
For example, he said, a person
who has a “handful” of Vicodin pain pills
without a prescription shouldn't get 15 or 25
years in prison. “Take them out and put them in
community settings, house arrest, and try to
help them instead of spending $68,000 a year to
house them” in prison, Lewis suggested.
“I realize that's not a position
most Republicans are going to take. But I am
what I am. I'm not going to start switching,” he
said.
He estimated it would cost about
$2 million for the campaign. He said he'd spend
some of his own money on the race, but would
seek to raise money for much of the cost of the
campaign.
Lewis said he'd campaign heavily
in Miami-Dade County and in Central Florida,
where there are lots of Republican voters who
don't know him. In Broward, Republicans “know me
for who I am and what I am usually. So I'm going
to have to get out of Broward County and see if
I can sell my message in other parts of the
state. We'll see how it goes.”
