Suspended Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren said his announcement Tuesday that he is running reelection sets up a stark contrast for voters in November.
A day later, Warren told WUSF that his decision sets up a showdown with the former judge who was appointed to replace him.
"Voters are going to choose the candidate who they know can deliver results and who reflects their values," Warren said Wednesday. "My values are the community's values."
Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Warren two years ago after Warren pledged not to prosecute new state laws on abortion and transgender health care.
DeSantis appointed Hillsborough Judge Susan Lopez to serve the remainder of Warren's term.
Warren had earlier announced he would not run again, saying the governor could just once again suspend him. He said he changed his mind about running for reelection after a federal appeals court ruled that a federal judge could reinstate him to office. A decision from that judge has not yet been issued.
Warren said the upcoming election would be choice between a candidate who has been elected twice and someone who was appointed.
"Now I was elected and reelected because voters trusted my vision and my values, and they saw my track record of success," Warren told WUSF. "She was illegally appointed because of her politics. That's the key difference in this race."
Lopez has filed to run as a Republican. Warren must first defeat Elizabeth Martinez Strauss in the Democratic primary this summer.
So far, state election records show Lopez has raised about $288,000 toward her campaign. Strauss has raised about $21,000.
