Election |

State attorney candidate’s ‘Fighter’ nickname barred from ballot

An Orlando lawyer running for state attorney who built his legal brand as “Fighter Law”  is now fighting to keep that nickname on the ballot.

Thomas Feiter, a Republican, wanted voters to see Thomas Feiter (“Fighter”) in the Aug. 20 primary election, but the Florida Department of State denied his request.

Feiter said he’s included “Fighter” with his name since college because people frequently mispronounced his last name. His downtown law firm is called “Fighter Law.”

“That’s how people recognize me,” he said. “That’s how I have been campaigning. Now they want to pull the rug out from my feet.”

Feiter received a letter last week from state election officials that the nickname violated Florida statutes, and he would be placed on the ballot as simply “Thomas Feiter.” The letter did not specify why the nickname was not in compliance.

‘Partisan politics should have no role’: State Attorney Bain touts independence, but DeSantis looms large

Florida law allows a candidate to designate a “bona fide nickname … by which the candidate is commonly known.” It excludes nicknames that would mislead voters or imply a candidate is someone else. It also bars a nickname that “constitutes a political slogan” or is obscene or profane.

The state administrative code provides additional regulations, specifying how a candidate’s name should be ordered. The code gives an example of a fictional candidate named Garrett R. Cane whose nickname is “Gator.” The proper order would be Garrett R. “Gator” Cane, according to the code.

Mark Ard, a spokesman for the Department of State, did not respond to a request for comment about the decision.

Feiter, 46, said he traditionally has put “Fighter” after his last name as a pronunciation guide, and that’s how he’s written it during his legal career. It appeared the state greenlighted the nickname when officials wrote in a Feb. 9 email that “Fighter” had been added to his name on Florida’s election website, he said, but the recent letter said that nickname will not be on the ballot.

Feiter said he is filing an appeal and would be amendable to rearranging the order of his names, if necessary to meet state requirements.

Feiter is running against criminal defense lawyer Seth Hyman in the GOP primary for Orange-Osceola state attorney.

The winner will face State Attorney Andrew Bain and former Democratic State Attorney Monique Worrell in the Nov. 5 general election.

Bain, appointed to the post by Gov. Ron DeSantis in August, is running as a no-party candidate. Worrell, who DeSantis ousted from the post, is also running to get her job back.