July 24, 2008

(Jacksonville)  Lake Ray, candidate for Florida House of Representatives, District 17, announced today an impressive list of twenty current and former Jacksonville elected officials who have endorsed his candidacy.  “I am humbled that so many people from such varied backgrounds trust that I am the best choice to represent District 17” said Ray.  “When speaking with them, there was one thing that they all had in common, that was the belief that I have the right combination of experience, integrity and vision to represent our city and its citizens in Tallahassee.”  “I will work hard to uphold their faith in me and for their kind words I am truly grateful.”

The list of endorsers includes both current and former members of the Jacksonville City Council, two former Jacksonville Mayors, and three current members of the Florida Legislature and is as follows:  former Jacksonville Mayors, John Delaney and Jake Godbold; State Senator Steve Wise, State Representatives Jennifer Carroll and Charles McBurney; current members of the Jacksonville City Council, Bill Bishop, Michael Corrigan, Art Graham, Ray Holt, Kevin Hyde, Glorious Johnson, Steven Joost, Don Redman and Clay Yarborough; former Members of the Jacksonville City Council, Warren Alvarez, George Banks,  Matt Carlucci, Lad Daniels, Sharon Copeland and Gwen Yates.  This list of endorsements is being called by some political observers as one of the most impressive ever assembled in a contested legislative primary in many years.

Lake Ray is a former two term member of the Jacksonville City Council serving from 1999 until June of last year. Lake is an eighth generation Floridian and the third generation to be raised in House District 17.  He was educated in local schools graduating from Terry Parker High School and earned a degree in engineering from the University of Florida.  He is currently a professional engineer with Halcrow and has managed and designed hundreds of projects with some budgets in excess of $20 million. Ray and his wife Brenda have been married for twenty five years and have three sons. Two of the three are Eagle Scouts, as is Ray.  Their son, Lake IV is on active duty in the United States Army Special Forces and will be deployed to Afghanistan in January 2009. The Rays attend Cross Road United Methodist Church.

###