Former Florida House Candidate Todd Maki.
On Cinco de Mayo in South Florida, Todd Maki had notified his supporters via Facebook.com of his decision not to run for District 87’s Florida House seat in 2010. Having run for the seat in 2008 and coming within about two-hundred votes of winning the Primary election, he cited personal reasons for him not giving it another go. As the incumbent, Adam Hasner, is forced out due to term limits in 2010, Maki again felt he would have had a very good chance of winning District 87.
Although the incumbent, Hasner, was victorious, Maki believes his campaign efforts for new ideas in State government did make headway. Maki says, “The efforts of my team to push for new ideas made headway as evidenced by the election of a President who holds to strengthening the economy, protecting the environment, and bettering our education system.”
However large or small Maki’s efforts were to impact government at all levels, he did so knowing that it was his community that gets impacted first. “I came out in 2008 to campaign for the people of my district and their needs first”, Maki continues, “the issues I fought for were not only the Nation’s but Boca Raton’s, Delray Beach’s, Boynton Beach’s, and Deerfield Beach’s issues more importantly."
In January of 2008, Maki entered the race as the only Democrat facing the incumbent Republican, Hasner. After Dem. Robert Ostrov left a Senate race to challenge Maki in the Primary, Todd campaigned on a shoe-string budget to come within approximately two-hundred votes for a near victory largely relying on his community ties and door knocking. Maki went on to support the Democratic challenger Ostrov and even worked the polls on Election Day in support of Ostrov.
For many years, Todd has been deeply committed to public service in the political, health and safety, and faith-based arenas. His political involvement dates back to his college days in the political science department at Florida State University, located in the heart of the state capital. While there, he served as a legislative intern for State Senator Dave Aronberg and for former State Senator, currently U.S. Congressman, Ron Klein. He has also served as a Precinct Coordinator for the Palm Beach County Democratic party.
Todd has long been a leader and a trainer of leaders. Active in student government, he represented more than 40,000 students as the Student Trustee on the District Board of Trustees of Palm Beach Community College. At the request of the director of the Summer Youth College, Todd, who participated in a similar program in 2004, led Future Leadership Boca in 2008 and 2009. He is also the founder and past chairman of the Christian Leadership Association and was Secretary of Municipal Affairs at Florida State University.
Much of Todd’s work life has been in the field of health and safety. He has been an Aqua Aerobics Instructor for the U.S. Water Fitness Association;
Todd is an active member of Advent Lutheran Church in Boca. He is an Assistant Team Leader for the Kairos Prison Ministry; a fund raiser for Food for the Poor; and a participant in Habitat for Humanity.
His many honors and awards include a Provost Award for Distinguished Service at Palm Beach Community College; Volunteer in Public Schools, Palm Beach County; and an Environmental Scholarship at Gumbo Limbo/FAU. He served under the Chief of Naval Education and Training in NJROTC; and he has delivered opening remarks at the Junior Achievement, South Florida Business Hall of Fame.
Todd holds a B.S. in political science from Florida State University.
http://www.ToddMaki.com
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
