Chris Sprowls

Christopher Joseph "Chris" Sprowls (born January 14, 1984) is a Republican politician who currently serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 65th District, which includes Clearwater, Dunedin, and Tarpon Springs in northern Pinellas County, since 2014.

Sprowls was born in Newburgh, New York, and moved to the state of Florida in his childhood. During his time in high school, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, which he survived. After Sprowls graduated from high school Genesis Preparatory in 2002, he attended the University of South Florida, graduating with his bachelor's degree in 2006, and then the Stetson University College of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor in 2009. He then served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which is located in Pasco County and Pinellas County. In 2013, Sprowls tried William Hurst, who was ultimately convicted of murdering his wife thirty years prior and was put on trial after the body was found in 2011. He then worked within the State Attorney's Office as a special prosecutor in the Gang Unit and as the Director of the Veterans Treatment Court.

In 2014, incumbent State Representative Carl Zimmermann, a Democrat, ran for re-election in the 65th District, so Sprowls ran against him. He faced fellow attorney Debbie Ann Faulkner in the Republican primary. The Tampa Tribune endorsed Sprowls over Faulkner, which noted that, though "both candidates bring intelligence and passion to the race," Sprowls "is the more polished candidate and appears ready to serve on day one if elected." Sprowls ended up defeating Faulkner by a wide margin, winning 65% of the vote, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Zimmermann. He campaigned on his opposition to Medicaid expansion provided for under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, his support for charter schools and accountability for them, and his pro-life positions. Ultimately, owing to the tendency of the district to vote for Republican candidates, Sprowls unseated Zimmermann, winning his first term in the legislature with 52% of the vote. On September 17, 2019, Sprowls was chosen to be the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives after the 2020 elections.