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Unconventional Green Party candidate Shawn Mathis Gilliam files for HD 58 race

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

As a member of an alternative third party, Shawn Gilliam’s worldview and ideology are not easily explained; it could make it hard to break through with voters in House District 58.

The 32-year-old Plant City resident recently filed to run for the seat currently held by Plant City Republican Dan Raulerson.

A recent convert to the Green Party, he does not agree with their stance in support of medical marijuana, saying its effects are too negative for the body.

While raised as a Christian, Gilliam converted to Islam “about three Ramadans ago.”

He says in some respects he’s quite conservative. He’s pro-life and anti-same-sex marriage.

“I would like to present a bill making the Islamic Nikah (marriage contract) a legally binding contract for marriage and any other religious marriage contract that is legally binding between the husband and wife if it pertains to religious affiliation,” he said in a follow-up email.

He is a passionate environmentalist and supports the need for more green energy.

He’s also anti-fluoride in the water, and in an email statement, said that he favors polygamy. ‘Islam recognizes Poligomy [sic], and I would like to get that legal in our state as well,” he writes.

Raulerson defeated Democrat Jose Vasquez by 16 points, 58 to 42 percent, in November.

HD 58 covers most Hillsborough County’s eastern suburbs.

Mitch Perry has been a reporter with Extensive Enterprises since November of 2014. Previously, he served as five years as the political editor of the alternative newsweekly Creative Loafing. He also was the assistant news director with WMNF 88.5 FM in Tampa from 2000-2009, and currently hosts MidPoint, a weekly talk show, on WMNF on Thursday afternoons. He began his reporting career at KPFA radio in Berkeley. He's a San Francisco native who has now lived in Tampa for 15 years and can be reached at [email protected]

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