Larry Basford Announces Candidacy for State Attorney

It has been an honor to serve and protect the people of the 14th Judicial Circuit for over 30 years as a prosecutor and I want to continue to do so. I’m a fifth generation Floridian, born and raised in Jackson County. I have lived in Bay County since 1984, and I can’t think of a better place to live, and work, and raise a family. Our way of life may be a little bit slower paced than other parts of Florida, but it is also safer. This is our home, and we must all work together to preserve our way of life. As a prosecutor I’ve worked to keep our communities safe. I have sought justice for victims and ensured fairness for the accused.

As your state attorney for the last three years, I have continued to pursue justice in every case. My decisions have been determined by the facts, by the law, and by my desire to protect our community… never by politics.

When campaigning four years ago I made some promises. The first promise was to keep our community safe and crime rates down. Our governor’s scorecard shows our office ranks number one in sending dangerous criminals to prison. We have done this by working with our brave law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line each day to protect us and to catch criminals, so we can bring them to justice.

I promised to use my experience to lead by example and to mentor our young prosecutors and I’ve done that. We have some of the finest trial attorneys in the state.

I also promised to be open and transparent about the decisions we would make and why. We have been open with the victims, the public, and the press.

I’ve kept all of those promises and that’s important because in an election year, talk is cheap.

As a career prosecutor with over 30 years of experience, I have protected the rights of the innocent while convicting the guilty. I have tried some of the most dangerous criminals in this area. Like the Georgia man who abused and killed 14-year-old Melinda Hinson, and the local man who viciously murdered nurse Lisa Redd. Today, each one of these murderers sit on death row awaiting their destiny.

Experience matters. I have tried over 250 jury trials, including over 60 homicide cases. Those experiences enable me to mentor our younger prosecutors to do the same. When we go to trial, we go as a team. As a result, we have some of the highest conviction rates in Florida. We are poised to do even better because we have the hardest-working, most dedicated prosecutors and support staff that you will find anywhere.

From experience, I understand not everyone who commits a crime is dangerous. Sometimes, people make bad decisions because of problems with addiction or mental health issues. That is the reason I have helped create problem-solving courts like our Veterans Court, Drug Court, and Mental Health Court. These diversion courts hold people accountable and give them help to become productive citizens.

The bottom line is this, EXPERIENCE REALLY MATTERS. When we need surgery, we want an experienced surgeon who has performed the surgery before. When we fly in a jet, we want an experienced pilot with hundreds of hours in the cockpit. Or, when we build or repair our home, we want a local, reputable contractor with a license. When victims go to court seeking justice, we need an experienced state attorney with a proven record of leading by example and keeping our community safe.

Now more than ever, we must have faith in our justice system. We must have faith that our state attorney will always do what is right, that everyone will be treated fairly, and that everyone will be protected equally under the law.

That is why I am seeking a second term as your state attorney. I ask for your support, for your vote, and most importantly for your prayers.

(Bay County Coastal does not endorse candidates.)