Florida → House → District 6
The Florida House directory lists Philip Wayne "Griff" Griffitts Jr. (R) for the 2024–26 term and gives the county coverage as Bay.
District map · 2022 House plan
¶ Geography and communities
- Boundary Overview: Situated along the central Gulf Coast of Northwest Florida, coterminous with the entirety of Bay County. Bounded to the west by Walton County (HD-5), to the north by Washington County (HD-5) and Jackson County (HD-5), to the east by Calhoun County (HD-5) and Gulf County (HD-7), and to the south and southwest by the Gulf of Mexico.
- Incorporated Municipalities:
- CDPs & Unincorporated Communities: Lower Grand Lagoon, Upper Grand Lagoon, Laguna Beach, Sunnyside, Biltmore Beach, Pretty Bayou, Cedar Grove, Fountain, Bayou George, Southport.
- Transportation & Freight Corridors:
- Highways: US Highway 98 (coastal corridor crossing Hathaway Bridge and DuPont Bridge), US Highway 231 (direct four-lane inland freight and evacuation link north toward I-10 and Dothan), State Road 77, and State Road 79.
- Aviation & Maritime: Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) (modern commercial airport relocated inland), Port Panama City (deepwater maritime port on St. Andrew Bay handling bulk, breakbulk, and container cargo), and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
- Rail: Bay Line Railroad (short-line freight rail connecting Port Panama City and local industry to national rail systems at Dothan).
- Environmental & Aquatic Assets: St. Andrew Bay estuary system (North Bay, West Bay, East Bay), Gulf of Mexico white sand beaches, St. Andrews State Park, Camp Helen State Park, Shell Island, and Econfina Creek water management district lands.
¶ Population and electorate
- Total Population: ~179,754 (2020 Census state house district apportionment target).
- Voting Age Population (VAP) by Race/Ethnicity:
- Non-Hispanic White: ~74.5%–77.0%
- Black / African American: ~10.5%–11.8% (concentrated primarily in Panama City urban precincts and historic neighborhoods)
- Hispanic / Latino: ~6.5%–7.8%
- Asian / Multi-racial / Other: ~5.0%–6.5%
- Socioeconomic Indicators:
- Median Household Income: ~$62,500–$68,000.
- Poverty Rate: ~12.8%–14.2%.
- Educational Attainment: ~26.5% Bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Veteran & Active Duty Military Footprint: ~15.5%–18.0% of adult residents (anchored by major Air Force and Navy installations and defense engineering contractors).
- Hurricane Michael Recovery Dynamics: The 2018 Category 5 storm caused extensive structural rebuilding across Panama City, Callaway, and Springfield, altering housing density, accelerating insurance-driven gentrification, and catalyzing infrastructure modernization.
- Demographic Reference: Florida Senate Redistricting Plan H000H8013 Plan Details.
¶ Elections and political context
- Voter Distribution (Active Voters):
- Partisan Lean: R+22 to R+26 (Solid Republican).
- General Election Performance:
- 2024 General: Griff Griffitts (R) 75.9% def. Jerry Wyche (D) 24.1% (72,797 to 23,124 votes).
- 2022 General: Griff Griffitts (R) won general election unopposed after winning the Republican primary against Brian Clowdus (66.5% to 33.5%).
- 2020 General (Pre-2022 redistricting lines): Jay Trumbull Jr. (R) 72.0% def. Alicia Bays (D) 28.0%.
- Primary & Factional Dynamics: General elections are uncompetitive for Democratic candidates. Regional power contests play out in the Republican primary, balancing the Panama City Beach tourism/hotelier establishment, coastal condominium interests, and Port Panama City industrial shipping against the military defense community and inland conservative residential bases in Lynn Haven and Callaway.
¶ Economic and civic anchors
- Military & National Defense Hubs:
- Tyndall Air Force Base: Stationed southeast of Panama City on East Bay; major multi-billion-dollar reconstruction as the DoD's "Installation of the Future," hosting three squadrons of F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, 325th Fighter Wing, and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center.
- Naval Support Activity Panama City (NSA PC): Located on St. Andrew Bay; home to Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC), and Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU).
- Shipbuilding, Maritime & Advanced Manufacturing:
- Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG): Major commercial and defense shipbuilder operating shipyards in Panama City and Allanton; lead fabricator for commercial offshore vessels, ferries, and multi-million-dollar government cutter programs.
- Port Panama City: Regional deepwater port handling forest products, container cargo, copper, and bulk commodities, supported by an on-dock Foreign Trade Zone.
- Oceaneering International & Applied Research Associates (defense and undersea technology engineering).
- Tourism, Hospitality & Coastal Real Estate:
- Panama City Beach hospitality corridor, supported by Visit Panama City Beach and the Bay County Tourist Development Council; generates hundreds of millions in direct tourism expenditures across beachfront resorts, marinas, and entertainment complexes.
- The St. Joe Company: Regional commercial real estate, hotel development, and community developer (Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, Pier Park commercial center).
- Healthcare Systems:
- HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital (Panama City acute care facility, surgical center, and Level II trauma services).
- Ascension Sacred Heart Bay (Full-service hospital, comprehensive heart center, and regional trauma care).
- Higher Education & Workforce Development:
- Gulf Coast State College (Main campus in Panama City; primary regional provider of nursing, technology, aviation, and law enforcement training).
- Florida State University Panama City (FSU PC; regional branch campus offering undergraduate and advanced STEM, engineering, and psychology degrees).
¶ People and organizations to map
- People and organization leads:
- The Trumbull Family (Trumbull Water / Jay Trumbull Sr. & Sen. Jay Trumbull Jr.): One of the most influential political and commercial dynasties in the Panhandle; extensive business holdings and legislative leadership (State Senator Jay Trumbull Jr. previously represented HD-6).
- The D'Isernia Family (Eastern Shipbuilding Group): Brian D'Isernia and executive leadership hold substantial industrial and political sway, driving defense procurement, harbor dredging, and Panhandle manufacturing jobs.
- The Patronis Family (Captain Anderson’s / CFO Jimmy Patronis): Historic Panhandle hospitality, commercial fishing, and restaurant dynasty based in Grand Lagoon; CFO Jimmy Patronis previously held this House seat.
- The Griffitts Family: Rep. Griff Griffitts and family have multi-generational holdings in hotel management, commercial real estate, and tourism promotion (Visit Panama City Beach).
- The St. Joe Company Executive Leadership: Steers massive regional land use, master-planned community zoning, and highway arterial planning across Bay, Walton, and Gulf counties.
- Sheriff Tommy Ford: Bay County Sheriff; highly respected law enforcement leader possessing widespread bipartisan civic influence across the county.
- Civic & Political Research Leads:
- Research Lead (Bay County Chamber Military Affairs Committee - MAC): The Panama City and Beach Chambers maintain a dedicated MAC that acts as a liaison between the Florida Defense Support Task Force, legislative leadership, and Tyndall/NSA commanders to secure state military encroachment buffer funds.
- Research Lead (Commercial Harbor & Marine Pilot Associations): St. Andrew Bay Pilots Association and marine terminal operators warrant tracking regarding state maritime infrastructure grants and harbor maintenance appropriations.
- Research Lead (Homebuilders & Reconstruction Contractors): The Bay County Building Association and regional civil infrastructure contractors remain primary donor sources in municipal and state legislative elections following post-hurricane rebuilding initiatives.
- Strategic Cultural & Infrastructure Landmarks:
- Hathaway Bridge: Critical multi-lane bridge connecting Panama City to Panama City Beach across St. Andrew Bay, serving as the economic lifeline and hurricane evacuation spine.
- Pier Park (Panama City Beach): Million-square-foot outdoor retail, dining, and tourism center anchoring the beach entertainment economy.
- Shell Island & St. Andrews State Park: Pristine, undeveloped barrier island and state park regulating boat traffic at the mouth of the Grand Lagoon pass.
- Port Panama City Intermodal Distribution Center: Specialized industrial park off US-231 supporting warehouse logistics and inland distribution.
¶ Representation and legislative work
- Incumbent: Philip Wayne "Griff" Griffitts Jr. (R - Panama City Beach) Florida House of Representatives
- Chamber Leadership Roles:
- Republican Committee Whip: State Affairs Committee Florida House of Representatives
- Vice Chair: Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Standing Committee Assignments:
- State Affairs Committee (Republican Whip) Florida House of Representatives
- Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee (Vice Chair) Florida House of Representatives
- Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Government Operations Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Select Committee on Property Taxes Florida House of Representatives
- Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight Florida House of Representatives
- (Verified via the Florida House Directory - Rep. Griffitts Profile).
- Key Policy Focus Areas & Legislative Priorities:
- Tourism Development & Local Option Tax Protection: Defending Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenues from legislative diversion, ensuring funds remain directed toward local beach renourishment, convention marketing, and coastal public safety.
- Insurance Market Stabilization & Building Codes: Navigating windstorm and property insurance litigation reform, commercial condominium structural safety rules, and post-hurricane construction standards.
- Infrastructure Appropriations for Defense Readiness: Securing state transportation grants for highway improvements along US-98, Tyndall Parkway, and airport access corridors to support expanded operations at Tyndall AFB and NSA Panama City.
- Intergovernmental & Local Mandate Oversight: Utilizing positions on Intergovernmental Affairs and Government Operations to monitor state preemption over municipal short-term rental regulations, zoning, and local business permitting.
Research text: Gemini browser session, 2026-10-04. Officeholder and county coverage: Florida House directory. The graph keeps these leads separate from the reference office record.