Joe Gruters

Florida State Senator

Joe Gruters is a fourth-generation Sarasotan and the great-grandson of William Hobson, chief tentmaker for the Ringling Circus, who moved the family to Sarasota in 1922. A proud alumnus of Cardinal Mooney High School (Class of 1996), Joe earned his undergraduate degree from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of South Florida.

Professionally, Joe is a partner at Robinson Gruters and Roberts, a respected CPA firm serving Sarasota County.

With more than 30 years of experience as a grassroots Republican activist and leader, Joe has held numerous influential roles within the party. He served 14 years as Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota and four years as Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, maintaining an undefeated record in statewide elections. Nationally, he has served five years on the Republican National Committee, where he currently holds the role of Treasurer and previously chaired the Election Integrity Committee.

Joe played a key role in national politics as Florida Chairman for the Trump Campaign in both the 2016 and 2020 election cycles. He has been endorsed five times by President Donald J. Trump for various offices and was appointed by the President to serve as Vice Chairman of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC). Joe has also represented Florida as a member of the Electoral College in 2016, 2020, and 2024. His leadership has extended to national party platforms, serving as Co-Chairman of the 2016 Republican National Committee Platform Committee on Restoring the American Dream and as Chairman of the 2024 Republican National Convention Credentials Committee.

In elected office, Joe represents Sarasota and Manatee Counties in the Florida Senate, where he serves as Chairman of the Fiscal Policy Committee.

Deeply committed to public service and community engagement, Joe has served as Chairman of the Sarasota County Planning Commission, Treasurer of the Sarasota Humane Society, and as a Board Member of the Florida Sports Foundation. He was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the Florida State University Board of Trustees, where he chaired the Finance and Audit and Presidential Compensation Committees. He is also a member of the Community Leadership Council at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus.

Joe and his wife Sydney reside in Sarasota with their three children: Spencer, Jack, and Elizabeth.