Republican newcomer Sam Stern is running for State Attorney in Palm Beach County, in the 15th Judicial Circuit, and has out-fundraised opponent, Democrat Alexcia Cox, two to one this quarter.
Stern’s fast start is excellent news for Republicans since current State Attorney Dave Aronberg isn’t running for reelection. The seat is wide open for the right candidate to swoop in and win. With Palm Beach County turning red, the seat could go to a Republican, and by the looks of it, that Republican could be attorney Sam Stern, who just filed to run in February. He’s off to quite a start. He’s already trouncing his opponents.
Subscribe to The Florida Jolt Newsletter!
As of first-quarter reporting, Stern has raised $141,393, which includes a twenty-five thousand dollar self-loan. His closest rival is Dem darling Alexcia Cox, who has raised $185,000, but much to the chagrin of local Democrats who have high expectations for Cox, who filed a whopping eight months before Stern, her fundraising seems to be slowing down. She’s running out of steam. In just fifty-five days, the excitement over Stern has reached a fevered pitch. He more than doubled what Cox brought in in ninety days, $116,393 to her $48,057. Stern is cooking with gas, showing what many already know. Palm Beach County is about law and order, and voters are looking for a strong, common-sense Republican candidate like Stern to beat Alexcia Cox, the woman who, if she wins, will be the first female Black state attorney in Palm Beach County.
Stern isn’t the only Republican in this race. A candidate named Forrest Freedman also brings a certain level of experience to this race, but first-quarter reports show his collections at a measly $2,880 total. The final date to qualify is April 26th and the fee to do so is $12,753.72. In a move that can only be described as masochistic, Freedman paid the qualifying fee rather than leave Sam Stern, the ideal candidate to win, as the only Republican in the race.
Meanwhile, Alexcia Cox will have to duke it out with three other Dems who, although their hauls aren’t quite as big as hers this quarter, all seem to have brought in a respectable amount. Cox has her work cut out for her.
Sam Stern isn’t new to this world. His bio is impressive. He comes from a family of prosecutors and public servants. His father, Herbert J. Stern, served the public for over 25 years as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, as the United States Attorney for New Jersey, and then as a Federal Judge. His grandfather, Samuel Stern, was a Bureau Chief in the New York State Attorney General’s Office for over thirty years.
Join your fellow patriots and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Like his father and grandfather, Sam served the public as a prosecutor. After graduating from Fordham Law School, Sam declined a position at one of the country’s top law firms to serve in New Jersey’s Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office. His service in both Republican and Democratic administrations included successful prosecutions of violent crimes, sex crimes, and economic crimes.
Sam practices law at Stern, Kilcullen, and Rufolo LLC in Palm Beach Gardens. He teaches trial advocacy to law students and experienced lawyers at the University of Miami School of Law and the National Trial Advocacy College at the University of Virginia School of Law. He is also the author of The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Cross-Examination (Skyhorse Publishing).
In 2019, Sam was elected to the Board of Trustees at his undergraduate alma mater, Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Sam and his wife, Rachael, are the parents of two boys.
For more information, votesamstern.com.
Stern is a force to be reckoned with. This is one race we’ll all be watching closely.
Other stories you may want to read:
Best Cartoons of The Week: Patton Would Have Slapped Biden’s Face, OJ and NPR
- Uplifting News-Florida House Files Boobie Bill - January 13, 2025
- Florida Party Hoppers: Dem Political Opportunists Betray Voter Trust - January 6, 2025
- Tracy Caruso’s Christmas Fun Column - December 22, 2024