The Indian American is running for Hillsborough County Commission District 1.
Indian American Aakash Patel, who is running for a seat of the Hillsborough County Commission, has received the endorsement of Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera.
The two have worked with each other for more than a decade and a half.
Patel had worked alongside Cantera during the latter’s term in the Florida House of Representatives from 2004 through 2012. Cantera worked with Patel in his activities related to the Leadership Tampa Bay.
Located in the greater Tampa-St. Petersburg area, Hillsborough County, with a population of more than 1.2 million, is Florida’s fourth most populous county.
There are seven elected members on the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners. Patel is running from District 1.
Earlier, the Indian American had received the endorsement of Danny Burgess, a member of the Florida House of Representatives.
RELATED: Florida lawmaker Burgess endorses Aakash Patel in Hillsborough Commission race (April 26, 2018)
“I had the opportunity to get to know Aakash Patel through his work with Leadership Tampa Bay and his service on their board of directors since 2014,” Lopez-Cantera said. “Aakash has impressed me with his drive, ambition and ability to apply his conservative ideals to encourage and mentor others in the business community and leadership roles.
“I strongly support his effort to become a member of the Hillsborough County Commission where I am certain he will work to consistently apply his solid conservative principals in all that he does. I wholeheartedly endorse Aakash Patel, in his campaign to become the next Hillsborough County Commissioner for District 1,” he added.
RELATED: Indian American Aakash Patel is running for District 1 Hillsborough County Commission seat (September 6, 2017)
Patel thanked the lieutenant governor saying that he is extremely honored to have his support.
“I am extremely honored to have the support of such a true conservative friend as Carlos Lopez-Cantera. Having spent time advancing individuals in leadership roles beside the Lt. Governor, I sincerely admire his strength and guidance across the state of Florida,” Patel said. “I sincerely thank Lt. Governor Lopez-Cantera for his endorsement of my campaign for Hillsborough County Commission.”
Patel, who earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and English literature from Florida State University, worked at The Tampa Bay Times’ Tallahassee Bureau.