NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Miami, FL, United States, 01/14/2009 - Florida’s former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marion Thorpe Jr., announced that he is running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Senator Mel Martinez. Thorpe is the first African-American Republican to run for statewide office in Florida's history.

History is Made as Marion Thorpe Becomes First African-American Republican to Run Statewide, Announces US Senate Run in Florida.

Thorpe is best known for his strong advocacy for improved quality Health Care system that is better, affordable and not socialized or government run. He plans to make the economy and education priorities of his Senate campaign. To this end, he has launched an initiative to introduce life skills training and financial literacy to schools and teen programs, part of a broader Thorpe for Youth Initiative.

As Chief Medical Officer he sought to ensure that new technology was used across the state to prevent medical mishaps and loss of patient information. Dr. Thorpe launched several programs to ensure that the care offered by Florida ’s HMOs and Public Health providers would serve patients better on all levels.

When questioned about how to bring the state out of recession, he added the following, “Florida has vibrant agricultural economic potential. It also has the technology and the ability to lead the nation in the development of domestically produced energy sources. There is simply no excuse for the double digit unemployment levels that have plagued many parts of the state and I’m committed to fighting for a solution to this pervasive problem in whichever race that I decide to run.

Palm Beach GOP Committeewoman Lisa Rader announced her enthusiastic support of Dr. Thorpe. “Marion Thorpe has a track record of bringing thousands of youth and minority voters to the party. Just think about what he can do on a statewide level. Her sentiments were shared by Ginger Eisenrod, Vice President of the Broward Republican Women’s Club Federated, who added, “Marion Thorpe’s candidacy will reinvigorate the party. His broad appeal and common sense solutions are just what we need to get our message out to people.

Michael Eisenrod, a prominent Republican leader in South Florida, reiterated; “few candidates have upheld Republican principles as well as Dr. Thorpe. What makes his candidacy a slam dunk is his track record of recruiting minority and youth voters across the board. No one else can accomplish as much for our party statewide. Yomin Postelnik, Political Director of the Pompano GOP, who runs the Winning Elections blog and who helped found of the Draft Marion Thorpe movement said, “it is absolutely essential that the GOP nominate Marion Thorpe. He is the only candidate who can blunt the enthusiasm that Kendrick Meek will use to rally the Democratic base. Thorpe is well known and respected in the areas that are most supportive of Meek. He is simply the only candidate who can blunt the enthusiasm that would propel Meek in a race against any other candidate.

Thorpe is a longtime political player in Florida who has toured the state for his work in the Health Care field. In 1998, then Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to spearhead the State of Florida’s Comprehensive Health Information Systems panel and in 2005 named him Chief Medical Officer for Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration.

As a former Health Care CEO and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Thorpe has led the integration of emerging technologies into Florida Health Care and Medicine since the 1990s. He has served on numerous health care boards, including Chairman of the Information Technology Board of the Broward County Medical Association (BCMA) and the Governor's Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board.

In 2008, Thorpe ran against Democratic Congressman Alcee Hastings for Florida’s 23rd US Congressional District. Said Thorpe about the race “I knew that the race would be a long, uphill battle during a presidential election cycle, but I also knew that somebody needed to raise a rallying cry in the district for our youth and for greater employment. District 23 also needed to move beyond race. Our campaign brought the focus on where it should be, on jobs, education and the economy, forever changing the playing field in the district.

As Dr. Thorpe puts it, “What we accomplished was a tremendous success. It’s all that I knew we could do in 2008, given the demographics of the district, but our platform and the programs that we set in motion succeeded beyond what could have been imagined. It allowed us to bring the message of personal responsibility to thousands of youth.

Thorpe says that he wants to make opportunity for youth the central mission of his campaign. “We must make Florida a better place for all. As one supporter put it, “it’s time for a healer by profession to enter the political waters."

Agency / Source: Thorpe For US Senate

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