Panama City Beach Attorney Wes Hatcher has declared that he will seek the office of State Attorney for the 14th Judicial Circuit, and formally made that announcement on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at Mackenzie Park in Panama City.
Hatcher has been practicing in the 14th Judicial Circuit for 14 years and lives in Panama City Beach. If elected, Hatcher says his goal is to look into community challenges.
Hatcher hopes to work with local law enforcement to address human trafficking issues and wants to institute an integrity prosecution unit.
Hatcher’s slogan is ‘Here for the People’ and he wants to serve the community to the best of his ability. ‘Under my office, my goal is to give everyone a voice’, Hatcher said.
‘To restore this office to the people and let the people have a voice and a way that they can contact our office to let us know when things are going on that they need help with’.
The 14th judicial circuit includes Bay, Holmes, Washington, Gulf, Jackson and Calhoun counties.
Hatcher will face competition from Larry Basford, currently employed by the State Attorney’s Office and named by outgoing State Attorney Glenn Hess as heir apparent to the office.
To date, Basford has accumulated nearly $70,000 in total campaign contributions, including a $50,000 loan to himself.
