Candidate Profile: State Senate District 26: Bill Galvano

Bill Galvano

Office: Florida Senate, District 26

Party Affiliation: Republican

Age: 46

Residence: Bradenton

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Galvano earned an associate's degree from Manatee Community College, a Bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami.

Former State Representative Bill Galvano is seeking the newly drawn district 26, which represents parts of Manatee, Southern Hillsborough, Southern Highlands, De Soto, Hardee, and Glades Counties. He was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in November of 2002. In 2009, Galvano was tapped to become the chairman of the House's influential Rules and Calendar Council and served successfully until he was forced out by term limits in 2010.

A practicing attorney, Galvano had worked as both a custodian and courier at his law firm before becoming an associate attorney in 1992.  Four years later he became a partner in the firm, Grimes, Goebel, Grimes, Hawkins, Gladfelter, & Galvano  of Bradenton.Galvano says that government needs to learn when to help and when to get out of the way. He feels that Florida needs to put economic diversification at the top of the list and invest in a first-class education, not only at primary level, but by developing an elite state university system to retain and train the workforce to support the high-tech jobs Florida needs.