Andrew Warren took a major step toward regaining his position as Hillsborough County state attorney on Tuesday.
Warren, who was removed from office in August 2022 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, easily won his primary over Elizabeth Martinez Strauss. Unofficial results have Warren beating Strauss with 71% percent of the vote.
Strauss applied to run for the position before Warren changed his mind and decided to regain the office.
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"Thanks to the voters and everyone who has continued to support my fight for public safety and democracy," Warren said in a statement. "Democracy is not a spectator sport, and I congratulate Ms. Strauss for throwing her hat into the ring."
Warren had said in January he would not run this year. But that was before an federal appeals court ruled that the lower court should consider Warren's argument that statements he made about hot-button issues such as abortion were political advocacy protected by the First Amendment. That case remains pending.
DeSantis cited those statements in suspending Warren, contending he was improperly refusing to uphold and enforce certain laws. The governor appointed Republican Suzy Lopez to replace Warren.
Speaking Wednesday in Sarasota, DeSantis said he's confident Lopez will defeat Warren in the general election.
"There's a state attorney there that I think's done really well," DeSantis said. "I think all of the law enforcement are likely going to be supporting Suzy. A lot of those people came to me and were the ones that really complained about Warren's dereliction of duty. So I think that will work itself out."
Lopez is running unopposed to retain the job.
The appeals court this year kept Warren's case alive, but his request to expedite a new ruling before the election has not yet been scheduled.
"My focus remains where it always has been: getting back in office so we can reverse the alarming increase in crime that’s happened under my illegally appointed successor," Warren said. "To do that, we need a true leader committed to serving this community, not the Governor’s political agenda."
Warren’s suspension was the first one made by the Republican governor involving Democratic elected state attorneys. Last year, DeSantis suspended Monique Worrell, who was the state attorney for the Orlando area.
