PALM HARBOR — Chris Nocco is headed to Tallahassee after winning the special election for Florida Senate District 21, capping a 15-year run as Pasco County sheriff and setting up a leadership change at the Sheriff's Office.
Nocco, a Republican, defeated Democrat Jordan Hensley, a bartender and political newcomer. Unofficial election-night results showed Nocco with 57.66% of the vote to Hensley's 42.34%, with 310 of 332 precincts reporting in Pasco and Pinellas counties.
"It is absolutely a merger, our communities coming together. And I’ll tell you we don’t know who’s gonna win the rest of the races. We don’t know what’s gonna happen. But with the delegation that we have together, we’re gonna ensure that Florida stays free. We are going to fight for the rights of everyone here," said Nocco.
Nocco celebrated Tuesday night at Ozona Blue in Palm Harbor with his family, members of the Pasco Sheriff's Office and Republican allies, including state Reps. Adam Anderson and Brad Yeager. Both Anderson and Yeager also won re-election to the Florida House.
The Senate District 21 seat became vacant after Republican Ed Hooper announced he would leave the Legislature. The district covers portions of southwest Pasco County, including Port Richey and New Port Richey, and northern Pinellas County, extending south to Clearwater. Nocco will serve the remainder of Hooper's term and must run again in 2028.
Nocco was appointed Pasco County sheriff by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2011. He won election in 2012 and was re-elected without opposition in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Before becoming sheriff, Nocco worked in law enforcement in Philadelphia, Virginia and Broward County. He also held positions in state government, including staff director in the Florida House and chief of staff for the Florida Highway Patrol.
During the campaign, Nocco said he wanted to bring his law enforcement experience to the Legislature while taking on issues beyond public safety.
After his victory Tuesday, he said affordability was the biggest concern voters raised. He also pointed to mental health and government permitting as priorities.
He said the permitting process has been particularly frustrating for people trying to repair or rebuild homes after hurricanes.
Nocco's departure leaves the Sheriff's Office under interim leadership. Jeff Harrington, who served as Nocco's chief of staff, was appointed interim sheriff by the chief judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit. The appointment took effect Tuesday and will remain in place until Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints a permanent replacement.
For Hensley, the election marked his first run for public office. The Port Richey resident has worked in the restaurant and hospitality industry in the Tampa Bay area for 13 years. He campaigned on issues including affordability, housing costs, wages and public schools, saying he wanted to give working-class voters a different voice.
Hensley acknowledged the challenge of running against a longtime sheriff with significantly more campaign resources. In a statement after the results, he said he was proud of his effort but disappointed by the outcome.
“Considering my opponent outfunded me like 30 to 1, and had been planning this for years, I think my endeavor was respectable,” Hensley said. “Obviously I'm disappointed that it didn't go my way, but not particularly surprised; it's a relatively republican district," Hensley said.
Hensley said he initially entered the race hoping to give voters a choice and create a competitive contest. He said he hopes the people elected Tuesday represent their constituents fully, but left open the possibility of running again.
“I hope that in the next few years I'm proven wrong and the people elected tonight represent the constituents to their fullest, and if not, I'll try again in two years.”
The Republican victories also included two local state House incumbents.
Anderson, a Republican from Palm Harbor, won another term representing House District 57, which covers part of Pinellas County. Anderson is a financial planner and real estate investor. He was first elected to the House in 2022.
Yeager, a Republican from New Port Richey, also won re-election in House District 56, which covers part of Pasco County. Yeager works as a general manager in the automotive industry and is a small-business owner. He was first elected in 2022.
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