Judge Chris Nash, former LeavenLaw partner, prevailed in a landslide in his bid for re-election to the Hillsborough County bench in August. Judge Nash topped his opponent, Norman Cannella Jr., by a near 2 to 1 margin, gaining 65 to 35 percent of the vote in the August 26, 2014 election.
Governor Rick Scott appointed Nash to a judgeship last year, and Cannella Jr., a former Tampa prosecutor, announced his decision to run against Judge Nash only a few weeks into his tenure. Cannella Jr. has been in private practice since 2001, but his father, Norman Cannella Sr., is a widely-known and widely-respected name in the Tampa legal community.
Judicial elections in Florida are non-partisan; however, Cannella’s campaign engaged in political mudslinging by accusing Nash and Governor Scott of partisan favoritism. In fact, Cannella’s campaign sent out a mailer stating, “Does Rick Scott speak for YOU? Political appointments to the bench mean one thing…Political paybacks.” Nash’s campaign remained above the fray, and Nash himself worked hard to campaign with integrity and to be an excellent judge at the same time. In a lead-up to the election, in a Hillsborough Bar Association survey, 99 percent of responders stated that they either “highly approve” or “approve” of Judge Nash. His 99% approval rating is the highest ever received in a Judicial Preference Poll conducted by the Bar, and Judge Nash carried the momentum through the election in August.
Thank you to all of those who supported Judge Nash, and the LeavenLaw and Counsel for Life family will continue to support Judge Nash as he continues his bright future on the bench.
