Wilton Simpson has more clout than virtually any other elected official in Florida.

And Big Sugar has greased the skids in his ascent to power.

Simpson, often referred to as “a Trilby egg farmer” (in truth he runs a multi-million dollar agribusiness operation), is President of the Florida Senate, and is running for the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He faces no primary challengers and so far there’s only one Democratic candidate, Clermont businessman Ryan Morales.

Simpson was also a driving force behind the notorious Senate Bill 2508, one of the most damaging environmental bills in years.. If the bill is approved as part of the state budget it will codify outdated, overly generous water supply promises into state law. That means more water could be kept in Lake Okeechobee, likely leading to more “lost summers” as the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries are pummeled with discharges and harmful algal blooms.

Senate Bill 2508 would also allocate an additional $300 million to FDACS for the expanded/revamped Rural and Family Lands Protection Program — money that would be released Jan. 1, 2023, the same month the next Agriculture Commissioner ascends to the throne.

Senate Bill 2508 was a major priority for Simpson — likely because it was a major priority for the industry that’s put its faith, and money, behind the “egg farmer from Trilby.”

Sugar interests have directly contributed only a few thousand dollars to Simpson’s 2022 campaign for Agriculture Commissioner. But the real action involves the four political action committees he chairs: Friends of Wilton Simpson, Jobs for Florida, the Florida Green PAC and Future Florida.

Together, these four committees have raked in huge piles of Big Sugar campaign cash, much of it via the PACs the industry uses to cloak its political giving.

How Big Sugar keeps its contributions on the down low

As we’ve previously reported, six key political action committees get huge contributions from Big Sugar, then spread money around the state. They are:

• Associated Industries of Florida: So far in the 2022 cycle, this PAC has collected $2.16 million; of that, 32.4%, or $700,000, came from two key contributors: Florida Crystals and the U.S. Sugar Corp.
• Florida Prosperity Fund: This PAC has collected $2.55 million for 2022, 29.4% ($750,000) of it came from Big Sugar.
• Floridians for a Stronger Democracy: $1.03 million for 2022, 38.8% ($400,000) from Big Sugar.
• Voice of Florida Business Political Action Committee: $1.98 million for 2022, 40.4% ($800,000) from Big Sugar.
• Floridians United for Our Children’s Future: $1.41 million for 2022, 53.2% ($750,000) from Big Sugar.
• Florida Chamber of Commerce PAC: $1.68 million for 2022, 36.7% ($600,200) from Big Sugar.

And remember, the 2022 election season hasn’t really started yet; with months to go, these totals will surely increase.

Structuring your political giving this way adds some “plausible deniability” to the process. Hey, we didn’t give to that candidate — we only contributed to the PAC that gave to the candidate!

But the favored candidate’s coffers grow larger all the same.

The industry’s largesse is split between the four PACs Simpson chairs:

Friends of Wilton Simpson

Launched after Simpson announced his candidacy for Agriculture Secretary in September, the committee has taken in just under $5 million since then. That includes one direct contribution of $25,000 from U.S. Sugar — and another $550,000 from the six big PACs:

1. Associated Industries of Florida – $205,000
2. Florida Prosperity Fund – $50,000
3. Floridians for a Stronger Democracy – $50,000
4. Voice of Florida Political Action Committee – $75,000
5. Floridians United for Our Children’s Future – $50,000
6. Florida Chamber of Commerce PAC – $120,000

Jobs for Florida

Described in media reports as Simpson’s main PAC, the committee has taken in $4.44 million so far this cycle. That includes one $25,000 direct contribution from U.S. Sugar, and $565,000 from Sugar-backed PACs:

1. Associated Industries of Florida – $65,000
2. Florida Prosperity Fund – $130,000
3. Floridians for a Stronger Democracy – $5,000
4. Voice of Florida Business Political Action Committee – $105,000
5. Floridians United for Our Children’s Future – $155,000
6. Florida Chamber of Commerce PAC – $105,000

Florida Green PAC

Established in 2019, this PAC has taken in $1.91 million this cycle, including $25,000 from U.S. Sugar, and $175,000 from Sugar-related PACs:

1. Associated Industries of Florida – $50,000
2. Voice of Florida Business Political Action Committee – $50,000
3. Floridians United for Our Children’s Future – $50,000
4. Florida Chamber of Commerce PAC – $25,000

Future Florida

Also established in 2019, this PAC has taken in $1.96 million this cycle, including $290,000 from Sugar-backed PACs:

1. Associated Industries of Florida – $75,000
2. Florida Prosperity Fund – $75,000
3. Voice of Florida Political Action Committee – $100,000
4. Florida Chamber of Commerce PAC – $40,000

All told — so far — Simpson’s committees have gotten $75,000 in direct contributions from U.S. Sugar, while the Sugar-backed PACs have given $1.58 million to the four PACs chaired by Simpson — surely with more to come.

With this kind of money in play, it’s no wonder Simpson goes to bat for Big Sugar. Industry money is funding his rise to Agriculture Commissioner — and beyond, perhaps, to Governor.

He gets what he wants.

Is there any doubt Big Sugar will get what it wants in return?