10 Facts About Fred Costello

Fred Costello was born in Orlando, Florida, and attended Graceland University, from which he graduated in 1970.

Fred Costello then attended the University of Iowa, receiving his Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1974.

Fred Costello was elected to the Ormond Beach City Commission, where he served from 1999 to 2002, and then was elected mayor, serving from 2002 to 2010.

In 2010, following the inability of State Representative Pat Patterson to seek re-election, Fred Costello ran to succeed him in the 26th District, which included southern Flagler County and northern Volusia County, stretching from Ormond Beach to Deltona.

Fred Costello faced former federal prosecutor Ron DeSantis, restaurant executive Craig Miller, St Johns County School Board member Beverly Slough, Jacksonville City Councilman Richard Clark, William Billy Kogut, and Alec Pueschel in the Republican primary.

Fred Costello campaigned on his support for "individual and 'states rights'" and clashed with DeSantis, who attacked Fred Costello in mail advertisements and television advertisements as a "tax and spend" liberal who voted in the legislature to give undocumented immigrants in-state tuition, for spending increases, and for an internet sales tax.

Fred Costello won the Republican primary unopposed, and faced Noel Bickford, a retired healthcare executive and the Democratic nominee, in the general election.