Carlos Miguel Beruff (born January 1, 1958) is an American real estate developer and a Republican politician and donor. On March 1, 2017, Governor Rick Scott appointed him chair of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, a body that meets once every 20 years to propose amendments to the Florida Constitution.[1]
Carlos Beruff | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission | |
| In office 2017–2018 | |
| Governor | Rick Scott |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carlos Miguel Beruff January 1, 1958 Miami, Florida, US |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Stetson University University of South Florida |
| Occupation |
|
Previously, Beruff was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016, but lost the Republican primary.[2] He was a gubernatorial appointee to the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport Authority, the Southwest Florida West Management Board, and the State College of Florida board. Beruff was born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban-immigrant parents.[3]
Medallion Home
editIn 1984, Beruff founded Medallion Home, a home builder located in Bradenton, Florida.[4]
Gubernatorial appointments
editIn 2009, then-Florida Governor Charlie Crist appointed Beruff to the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport Authority, the Southwest Florida Water Management board, and the State College of Florida board. The next governor, Rick Scott, reappointed Beruff to all three positions.[5][6] In the 2010 U.S. Senate election in Florida, Beruff supported Charlie Crist, who was running as an independent and later became a Democrat, over Republican Marco Rubio.[7][8]
Resignation from Southwest Florida Water Management District board
editIn August 2015, Beruff resigned from the Southwest Florida Water Management District board after voting to approve a friend's plan to destroy an acre of wetlands for a development.[9] An administrative law judge recommended against issuing the permit, which allowed developer Pat Neal to remove mangroves and fill wetlands in order to build a family compound on Perico Island.[10]
2016 U.S. Senate campaign
editBeruff ran for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida, mounting a primary challenge to Republican incumbent Marco Rubio in the 2016 election. Beruff has proposed temporarily halting immigration to the United States from Middle Eastern countries.[11] In May 2016, Beruff was criticized for referring to President Barack Obama as "an animal". Beruff declined to issue an apology for the comments.[12][13] He lost the August 30 primary, getting 18.49% of the vote and 264,427 votes.[14]
References
edit- ^ Klas, Mary Ellen (March 1, 2017). "Scott names Sarasota businessman Carlos Beruff to be chairman of the Constitution Revision Commission". Miami Herald. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ Flexter, Kate (March 4, 2016). "Who is Carlos Beruff? A profile of the man running for U.S. Senate". WWSB ABC. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Irby, Katie (April 20, 2016). "Senate candidate Carlos Beruff was born in Miami, but he claimed to be born in Cuba on Manatee voter form". Bradenton Herald. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Kennedy, Sara (August 4, 2013). "Developer Carlos Beruff: modest beginnings to multimillion-dollar business". Bradenton Herald. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ White, Dale (May 15, 2015). "Developer, a Scott loyalist, at helm of hospital panel". Herald-Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Wallace, Jeremy (April 18, 2016). "U.S. Senate candidate Carlos Beruff makes his case in North Florida". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on May 23, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Plott, Elaina (February 25, 2016). "Millionaire Developer Shakes Up Race for Rubio's Senate Seat". National Review. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Wallace, Jeremy; Dunkelberger, Lloyd (April 22, 2010). "Home Article Comments Share Email Print Reprints View one page Enlarge Text Related Links UPDATE: It's official -- Crist to run as independent Key donors backing Crist". Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Falconer, Jackson (August 28, 2015). "Beruff Resigns from SWFWMD Board After Approving Permit for Neal's Harbor Sound". Bradenton Times. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Anderson, Zac (September 6, 2015). "Scott not backing away from Beruff". Herald-Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Anderson, Zac (April 28, 2016). "Is Carlos Beruff the "little Trump of Florida"?". Herald-Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Bobic, Igor (May 15, 2016). "Florida Senate GOP Candidate Calls Obama An 'Animal'". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Cohen, Kelly (May 16, 2016). "Florida Senate candidate hammered for calling Obama 'animal'". Washington Examiner. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "2016 Florida Election Watch - U.S. Senator". enight.elections.myflorida.com.