Pat Neal as Florida's next CFO? He says he's interested

Chief financial officer Jeff Atwater has been working the phones in recent days, telling Republican activists and donors that he intends to run for the 2016 Republican U.S. Senate nomination and wants their support.

With incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio expected to announce his candidacy for president April 13, Atwater is gearing up for what could be a tough primary for a rare open Senate seat.

Other Republican prospects include Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Ponte Vedra Beach. Don't underestimate Atwater, an amiable former banker from Palm Beach County, who we suspect has attended more rubber chicken dinners with civic groups and GOP clubs across the state than any other elected official in Florida.

We hear Atwater's announcement will come about a week after Rubio's. Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter has already launched his bid.

Atwater won't have to resign as CFO to run for U.S. Senate because his term does not expire until 2018.

If Atwater wins a U.S. Senate seat, Gov. Rick Scott would appoint his interim successor. And you can bet Scott's political team already is fielding a lot of calls from ambitious Republicans interested not only in the CFO post but also eventually becoming governor.

Most of the buzz we heard centers on Manatee County developer Pat Neal, a well-respected businessman, legislator (1974-86) and former chairman of Florida's Christian Coalition, who served on Scott's transition team and raised money for him.

"I'd be interested in doing something as CFO, not necessarily using it as a stepping stone for something," Neal, a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, said.

Because unless your last name is Bush or you have a hundred million dollars to spend, the most logical path to the Governor's Mansion is through the Florida Cabinet. You have to be a lawyer to be attorney general and it's generally accepted that the agriculture commissioner ought to have some idea of the difference between a Guernsey and a Hereford. That makes CFO the ideal jumping spot for nonlawyers lacking farming experience, although Florida history is loaded with unsuccessful gubernatorial candidates from the Cabinet.

Back in 2014, when Atwater unsuccessfully sought the job of president of Florida Atlantic University, a bunch of names surfaced as his possible successor: former state Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland; state Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon; former House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel; Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville; and Pat Neal.

This story was originally published April 6, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Pat Neal as Florida's next CFO? He says he's interested."