Wesley Chapel Firefighter Challenges Incumbent for Florida House District 54

WESLEY CHAPEL — A familiar face from the local fire service is taking on Tallahassee.

Michael Pultorak, a longtime Wesley Chapel resident and 26-year captain with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, is challenging incumbent Rep. Randy Maggard in the Republican primary for Florida House District 54 on Aug. 18.

Who Is Michael Pultorak?

Pultorak has spent 30 years in the fire service and is also a licensed Realtor in the Wesley Chapel area. He's a USF alumnus with graduate degrees from Liberty University and the University of Phoenix, and has worked emergency operations on natural disasters from Daytona to Denver.

He's running on growth-related issues, including:

• Opposition to large data center projects in the district

• Opposition to tax incentives for developers

The Uphill Climb

Pultorak faces a significant funding gap heading into the primary. As of late July, Maggard had raised about $152,000, with his political committee holding another $91,000 on hand. Pultorak, by comparison, has raised roughly $11,000, including $2,000 of his own money.

Maggard has represented east Pasco since winning a 2019 special election and has won three campaigns since, most recently taking 60% of the vote in 2024.

What's Next

Because a write-in candidate is the only opponent waiting in the general election, the winner of the Maggard-Pultorak primary is highly likely to win the seat outright. Early voting for the Aug. 18 primary is already underway.

🗳️ Make sure your voice is heard, Wesley Chapel — early voting is open now through Aug. 15.