Sandy Adams, 55, is a freshman congresswoman from Orlando. She finds herself in an unusual battle for a U.S. House seat (Florida's 7th Congressional District) against a fellow Republican – thanks to redistricting. Adams is popular with Tea Party members, but has a limited congressional record compared to her opponent.
Still, Adams has an intriguing personal story. She entered the Air Force at age 17 and later joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, serving with that agency for 17 years. Adams was a single mother, who worked two jobs to provide for her daughter. She earned her GED and then entered law enforcement. Her husband Frank, a fellow deputy sheriff, was killed in the line of duty.
Adams later became a victims’ rights advocate and eventually won a seat in the Florida House of Representatives in 2002. Then in 2010, Adams defeated incumbent Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, a Democrat. Adams received Tea Party support, held town hall meetings and went door-to-door in that campaign victory two years ago.
In her House seat, Adams has tried to reduce the size of federal government and worked with the private sector to create jobs, according to her web site.
The 2000 graduate of Columbia College, with a Criminal Justice degree, is married to Judge John Adams. Sandy Adams has an adult daughter and two adult step-children.
Adams raised about $129,000 during the second quarter and had about $500,000 cash on hand for the campaign’s final stretch for the Aug. 14 Primary.
WFTV
