The Navy Reserve officer daughter of a former Trump adviser has added her name to the race to represent part of Sarasota County in the Florida House of Representatives.
Navy Reserve Lt. Commander Fiona McFarland, 33, announced she has filed to run to unseat Sarasota Democrat Rep. Margaret Good in Florida House District 72.
McFarland, a Naval officer who transitioned to the Navy reserves in 2016, previously served as a surface warfare officer in the Pentagon and on board a guided missile destroyer. She is married to a former Navy lieutenant.
A 2008 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, McFarland was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy and served eight years of active duty on warships in the Western Pacific. She also earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently works for McKinsey and Company, a global management consulting company.
“In the military, as in the business world, I’ve learned that driven and dedicated people can produce real results for our country,” McFarland said in a news release announcing her bid. “I’ve also learned that putting purpose before partisanship is what gets the job done.”
McFarland ‘s Navy Reserve unit is based out of MacDill Air Force Base.
“I’ve been honored to spend over 11 years in uniform serving the country I love,” McFarland said. “I’m determined to continue my service, this time for the state of Florida and the community of Sarasota who have welcomed me to my first true home-base.”
McFarland’s mother is KT McFarland, who President Donald Trump selected as his first deputy national security adviser. She stepped down after Michael Flynn’s resignation as national security adviser, according to USA Today. KT McFarland also previously worked as a security analyst for FOX News and held national security positions in the Nixon, Ford and Reagan administrations.
Originally from New York, McFarland moved to Florida about a year ago. She said her husband’s family is from the area. The couple currently lives in Bradenton but are in the process of moving into District 72, McFarland said.
“We’ve been so pleased with how the community has welcomed us with open arms,” McFarland said.
She plans to host a kickoff event for her campaign later this year.
Rep. Good was first elected to represent District 72 in a February 2018 special election and was subsequently re-elected last November.
Also running for the Republican nomination in District 72 is Donna Barcomb. Erik Arroyo filed to run for office as well, but has since announced on Facebook he intends to transition to running for a seat on the Sarasota City Commission.
———
© 2019 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
