Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the area, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in November.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Pasco County over the past seven years,” Moore wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon, “and I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes to better the quality of life for the citizens of Pasco County.”
Moore said in the statement that after much deliberation with his family, he would be returning to the private sector full-time as a small business owner (he owns a business consulting firm) at the conclusion of his term.
He gave no further hints to what lies ahead.
“Not sure what I’m doing yet,” he told the Neighborhood News in a text message. “Haven’t made any decisions.”
Moore has held the District 2 seat since 2014, when he defeated Democrat Erika Jean Remsberg with 59 percent of the vote; he won re-election with 60 percent of the vote in 2018, defeating challenger Kelly Smith.
He has served as the commission chairman in 2017 and 2020, and vice-chairman in 2016 and 2019.
Moore has helped speed up a number of major transportation projects, including the diverging diamond interchange, spearheaded the addition of a new indoor recreation center (and before that, a universally inclusive playground) at Wesley Chapel District Park as well as playing a role in the building of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, and most recently was the driving force behind a six-month (now one year) moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area.
In 2017, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber presented him with the Community Hero Award (picture), honoring his efforts in helping grow Wesley Chapel.
“I am extremely grateful for the citizens of Pasco County who placed their trust and vote in me,” Moore wrote. “Even though I am retiring from the commission, I will always be your champion and will continue to be by your side fighting for what is best for our county’s future.”
A former radio/TV major at the University of Central Florida, Moore launched Reel Politics in August 2021, a weekly talk show that can be heard on The Answer 860 AM or 93.7.
Moore lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife Lauren and their three children.
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