Photo: State Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, speaks on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives.

A recent vote in favor a gun bill has earned state Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, a dose of scorn on the left and the right. But as he braces for a run at state Senate, the longtime party leader hopes voters see him as someone willing to do what’s right when it comes time for a major vote. “The Orlando Sentinel listed me as one of the guys most likely to break ranks and to do what’s right,” Gruters says. “I’m willing to find solutions rather than score political points.”

Gruters has formally announced he will not seek a second term in the state House and will instead run for state Senate in District 23, where incumbent Greg Steube has already announced he will resign his seat to run for Congress.

He plans to run on a platform of promoting job creation, and believes his center-right voting record during two years in Tallahassee makes him a good fit for a district encompassing all of Sarasota County and a chunk of north Charlotte County. The positioning as a moderate conservative may sound curious in ways for an official with a long history of partisan politics. He’s served a decade as chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, acted as state co-chair for Donald Trump’s presidential election and also served a stint as vice chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

And as he hopes to discourage any Republican challengers in the primary, he stresses a strong record on issues like immigration. He reminds that thanks to his role with the Trump campaign, he helped right the national platform on immigration, including penning a section supporting “Kate’s Law,” a law that passed in the U.S. House, which would increase penalties for deported individuals who try to return to the U.S. Gruters sponsored similar legislation in the state House. He also pushed legislation on sanctuary cities and the state e-verify system. “I probably filed more bills related to immigration than anyone in the Legislature,” he says.

He’s taken hits on the gun bill, which would raise the age to purchase a semi-automatic weapon to 21 and ban bump stocks. Still, Gruters calls himself a “strong supporter” of the Second Amendment, and said he would not vote on any bill that banned guns. But the bill, since signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott, has already drawn a lawsuit by the National Rifle Association. At the same time, the reform drew rebuke from most Democrats for a “guardian” program allowing more school personnel to carry guns on campus. And while he supported efforts to prohibit classroom teachers from carrying weapons, Gruters said that provision wasn’t enough to warrant a vote against the bill. That, he said, would also mean a vote against the $400 million for school hardening and funding for mental health.

While this seat has long remained in Republican hands, Democrats have discussed posing a challenge, especially after picking up a seat in a February special election in a district entirely contained within the Senate district. But Gruters expects the seat to be fairly safe come November. He notes while House district 72 won an area Trump won by 4.5 points in 2016, Trump won Senate District 23 by 15 points.

The Florida Republican primary, if needed, is scheduled for Aug. 30. The mid-term general election is scheduled for Nov. 6.

Photo: State Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, speaks on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives.