Florida Politics and Government
Florida Guide
Florida politics and Government
Florida Government and Politics
The government of the Florida, as defined by the Constitution of Florida, consists of three separate branches: judiciary, executive and legislative. Florida legislature consists of Florida Senate that has 40 members and The House of Representatives which consists of 120 members.
History of Florida Politics
Florida politics underwent changes since the Civil War and the Reconstruction that happened in The United States during 1865-77. Elite-white Democrats struggled to come into power, but, regained it in 1877 partly through violent means. From 1885 to 1889, the state legislature passed statutes with provisions to reduce voting by blacks and poor whites, which had threatened white Democratic power with a populist coalition. Thus, White Democrats established a one-party state. Since the African Americans were denied voting rights, majority of their population migrated to the north states which reduced their population in Florida from 44% in 1900 to 18% in 1960. Political power in Florida is dominated by the Democrats. From the year 1877-1948, Florida has been voting for Democratic candidates for every presidential election, except for the year 1928.
Post 1952, Politics in Florida turned. Except for the years 1964, 1976, 1996 and 2008, Florida has been voting for Republican presidential candidates since 1952. In 1966, Florida’s first post-reconstruction Governor was elected and in 1968, the first post-reconstruction Senator.
Political Party Strength in Florida
Local Politics in Florida has been dominated by the Republicans consistently since 1999. The Governor since 1999 for the state of Florida was the Republican Jeb Bush. He continued to be the Governor till 2006. Since 2007 till 2009, Charlie Crist (Republican) was the Governor. In 2010, he became an Independent candidate. The Democratic Senator from Florida, Bill Nelson is active since 2001. The dominance of Republicans in Florida Politics is evident from the Republicans in the State Senate house (76 R and 44 D)
Florida Major Political Parties
- Florida Democratic Party (DEM)
-
Web address: http://www.fladems.com
- Republican Party of Florida (REP)
- Web address: http://www.rpof.org
Florida Minor Political Parties
- American Billionaires Political Party (BIL)
- American Bourgeoisie Political Party (BOU)
- American Capitalists Political Party (CAP)
- American Celebrities Political Party (CEL)
- American Christians Political Party (CHI)
- American Conservatives Political Party (ACP)
- American Economic Elites Political Party (AEE)
- American Educators Political Party (EDU)
- American Industrialists Political Party (AIN)
- American Intellectual Elites Political Party (ELI)
- American Multi-Millionaires Political Party (MIL)
- American Party of Florida (APF)
- Web address:http://www.AmericanPartyofFlorida.com
- Email: americanpartyofflorida@earthlink.net
- American Patriot Party (AMP)
- American Reform Party of Florida (ARP)
- Web address:http://www.americanreform.org/
- American Wealthy Persons Political Party (AWP)
- America's Independent Party of Florida (AIP)
- Web address:http://www.aipnews.com/mxPage.asp?SID=FL&ID=19
- Email: fl@aipnews.com
- British Reformed Sectarian Party (BRS)
- Web address:http://www.brsparty.com
- The Christian Party (CHR)
- Constitution Party of Florida (CPF)
- Web address:http://www.cpflorida.com/
- Ecology Party of Florida (ECO)
- Web address:http://www.ecologyparty.org/
- Faith & Patience Inc. N.P.G.G. (FAP)
- Family Values Party (FVP)
- Florida Socialist Workers Party (SWP)
- Florida Whig Party (FWP)
- Web address: http://www.floridawhig.com/
- Email: chair@flwp.org
- Green Party of Florida, Inc. (GRE)
- Web address: http://www.floridagreens.org
- Email: info@floridagreens.org
- Independence Party of Florida (IDP)
- Web address: http://www.ipfl.org/
- Independent Democrats of Florida (IDF)
- Independent Party of Florida (INT)
- Email: flaindparty@aol.com
- Libertarian Party of Florida (LIB)
- Web address: http://www.lpf.org
- Objectivist Party of Florida (OBJ)
- Party for Socialism and Liberation - Florida (PSL)
- Web address: http://www.VotePSL.org
- Email: florida@votepsl.org
- Possibility Party (POS)
- Web address:http://www.PossibilityParty.com
- Progressive Libertarian Party (PRL)
- Web address: http://www.prlparty.org/
- Email address: mjposner@adelphia.net
- Prohibition Party (PRO)
- Email: prohibitionparty@yahoo.com
- Real Food Party of the United States of America (RFP)
- Reform Party (REF)
- Web address:http://www.rpfla.org
- Socialist Party of Florida (SPF)
- Surfers Party of America (SPA)
- Tea Party (TEA)
- Twelve Visions Party of Florida (TVP)
- Unity08 (UNI)
- Veterans Party of America (VET)
Presidential Elections and Florida
Presidential elections 2000
Florida was in the news for the 2000 presidential elections due to a major recount dispute. Florida was considered to be a swing state and the results which came out were very close. As a result, they had a recount which postponed the results by one month, post balloting. The results of the state of Florida were crucial in determining the next president- Gore or Bush. Finally, Republican George Bush won the majority, and thus, became the President.
Presidential elections 2004
It was George Bush vs. John Kerry. Bush nominated Dick Cheney as his running mate. Florida Democrat Senator, Bob Graham was in the list of Democratic candidates running for the presidential elections. This time too, Bush, the Republican, won hands down in the state of Florida, defeating the Democrat, John Kerry. Thus, Florida politics maintained the Republican favoritism.
Presidential elections 2008
The recent elections of 2008 broke the chain of Republicans becoming presidents. Even politics in Florida had a shift to the Democrats. It was Democrat Obama vs Republican McCain. Florida was considered the largest swing-state. Democrats dominated most of the states including Florida. But, the margin by which Obama won in Florida was pretty less. The Democrats dominated the Republicans by 2.87% votes. Thus, Obama won the presidential elections and Florida politics saw a change after a long time.
Florida and Politics Today
Since 1999, Florida state politics is ruled by the Republicans. The current Governor, Crist, is a Republican turned Independent. The number of registered Democrats still outnumbers the registered Republicans. Yet, in the local last two elections, the Republicans won hands down. On the other hand, in the presidential elections, the Republican votes in the State of Florida are seen to dominate the Democratic votes except for the last presidential elections in 2008.
Thus, Florida Politics has shown a variation in the last couple of local elections as well as the presidential elections. From being an out and out pro-Democratic state after the reconstruction of the United States Political system. To turning Republican in the recent years, political situations in Florida has a very important impact on the overall political scenario in the United States.
Presidential Elections Results
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 48.22% 4,045,624 | 50.96% 4,282,074 |
| 2004 | 52.10% 3,964,522 | 47.09% 3,583,544 |
| 2000 | 48.85% 2,912,790 | 48.84% 2,912,253 |
| 1996 | 42.32% 2,244,536 | 48.02% 2,546,870 |
| 1992 | 40.89% 2,173,310 | 39.00% 2,072,698 |
| 1988 | 60.87% 2,618,885 | 38.51% 1,656,701 |
| 1984 | 65.32% 2,730,350 | 34.66% 1,448,816 |
| 1980 | 55.52% 2,046,951 | 38.50% 1,419,475 |
| 1976 | 46.64% 1,469,531 | 51.93% 1,636,000 |
| 1972 | 71.91% 1,857,759 | 27.80% 718,117 |
| 1968 | 40.53% 886,804 | 30.93% 676,794 |
| 1964 | 48.85% 905,941 | 51.15% 948,540 |
| 1960 | 51.51% 795,476 | 48.49% 748,700 |
List of Governors of Florida
| # | Governor | Term Start | Term End | Party | Lt. Governor | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Dunn Moseley | June 25, 1845 | October 1, 1849 | Democratic | None | |
| 2 | Thomas Brown | October 1, 1849 | October 3, 1853 | Whig | ||
| 3 | James E. Broome | October 3, 1853 | October 5, 1857 | Democratic | ||
| 4 | Madison S. Perry | October 5, 1857 | October 7, 1861 | Democratic | ||
| 5 | John Milton | October 7, 1861 | April 1, 1865 | Democratic | ||
| 6 | Abraham K. Allison | April 1, 1865 | May 19, 1865 | Democratic | ||
| 7 | William Marvin | July 13, 1865 | December 20, 1865 | |||
| 8 | David S. Walker | December 20, 1865 | July 4, 1868 | Democratic | William W. J. Kelly | |
| 9 | Harrison Reed | July 4, 1868 | January 7, 1873 | Republican | William Henry Gleason |
1 |
| Edmund C. Weeks |
||||||
| Samuel T. Day | ||||||
| 10 | Ossian B. Hart | January 7, 1873 | March 18, 1874 | Republican | Marcellus Stearns | 1⁄2 |
| 11 | Marcellus Stearns | March 18, 1874 | January 2, 1877 | Republican | Vacant | 1⁄2 |
| 12 | George Franklin Drew | January 2, 1877 | January 4, 1881 | Democratic | Noble A. Hull |
1 |
| 13 | William D. Bloxham | January 4, 1881 | January 7, 1885 | Democratic | Livingston W. Bethel | 1 |
| 14 | Edward A. Perry | January 7, 1885 | January 8, 1889 | Democratic | Milton H. Mabry | 1 |
| 15 | Francis P. Fleming | January 8, 1889 | January 3, 1893 | Democratic | None | |
| 16 | Henry L. Mitchell | January 3, 1893 | January 5, 1897 | Democratic | ||
| 17 | William D. Bloxham | January 5, 1897 | January 8, 1901 | Democratic | ||
| 18 | William Sherman Jennings | January 8, 1901 | January 3, 1905 | Democratic | ||
| 19 | Napoleon B. Broward | January 3, 1905 | January 5, 1909 | Democratic | ||
| 20 | Albert W. Gilchrist | January 5, 1909 | January 7, 1913 | Democratic | ||
| 21 | Park Trammell | January 7, 1913 | January 2, 1917 | Democratic | ||
| 22 | Sidney Johnston Catts | January 2, 1917 | January 4, 1921 | Prohibition | ||
| 23 | Cary A. Hardee | January 4, 1921 | January 6, 1925 | Democratic | ||
| 24 | John W. Martin | January 6, 1925 | January 8, 1929 | Democratic | ||
| 25 | Doyle E. Carlton | January 8, 1929 | January 3, 1933 | Democratic | ||
| 26 | David Sholtz | January 3, 1933 | January 5, 1937 | Democratic | ||
| 27 | Fred P. Cone | January 5, 1937 | January 7, 1941 | Democratic | ||
| 28 | Spessard Holland | January 7, 1941 | January 2, 1945 | Democratic | ||
| 29 | Millard F. Caldwell | January 2, 1945 | January 4, 1949 | Democratic | ||
| 30 | Fuller Warren | January 4, 1949 | January 6, 1953 | Democratic | ||
| 31 | Daniel T. McCarty | January 6, 1953 | September 28, 1953 | Democratic | ||
| 32 | Charley Eugene Johns | September 28, 1953 | January 4, 1955 | Democratic | ||
| 33 | LeRoy Collins | January 4, 1955 | January 3, 1961 | Democratic | ||
| 34 | C. Farris Bryant | January 3, 1961 | January 5, 1965 | Democratic | ||
| 35 | W. Haydon Burns | January 5, 1965 | January 3, 1967 | Democratic | ||
| 36 | Claude R. Kirk, Jr. | January 3, 1967 | January 5, 1971 | Republican | None | |
| Ray C. Osborne | ||||||
| 37 | Reubin Askew | January 5, 1971 | January 2, 1979 | Democratic | Thomas Burton Adams, Jr. | 2 |
| Jim Williams | ||||||
| 38 | Bob Graham | January 2, 1979 | January 3, 1987 | Democratic | Wayne Mixson | 11⁄2 |
| 39 | Wayne Mixson | January 3, 1987 | January 6, 1987 | Democratic | Vacant | |
| 40 | Bob Martinez | January 6, 1987 | January 8, 1991 | Republican | Bobby Brantley | 1 |
| 41 | Lawton Chiles | January 8, 1991 | December 12, 1998 | Democratic | Buddy MacKay | 11⁄2 |
| 42 | Buddy MacKay | December 12, 1998 | January 5, 1999 | Democratic | Vacant | |
| 43 | Jeb Bush | January 5, 1999 | January 2, 2007 | Republican | Frank Brogan |
2 |
| Toni Jennings | ||||||
| 44 | Charlie Crist | January 2, 2007 | Incumbent | Republican | Jeff Kottkamp | 1 |
Florida Other High Offices Held
| Governor | Gubernatorial Term | Other Offices Held |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson | 1821 (military) | U.S. Representative and Senator from Tennessee, President of the United States |
| William Pope Duval | 1822–1834 (territorial) | U.S. Representative from Kentucky |
| John Eaton | 1834–1836 (territorial) | U.S. Senator from Tennessee, Minister to Spain, U.S. Secretary of War |
| Richard K. Call | 1836–1839, 1841–1844 (territorial) | Territorial Delegate from Florida Territory |
| Robert R. Reid | 1839–1841 (territorial) | U.S. Representative from Florida, U.S. Representative from Georgia |
| John Branch | 1844–1845 (territorial) | U.S. Representative and Senator from North Carolina, Governor of North Carolina, U.S. Secretary of the Navy |
| William Marvin | 1865 | Elected to the U.S. Senate but was refused seat |
| Napoleon B. Broward | 1905–1909 | Elected to the U.S. Senate but died before taking office |
| Park Trammell | 1913–1917 | U.S. Senator from Florida |
| Spessard Holland | 1941–1945 | U.S. Senator from Florida |
| Millard F. Caldwell | 1945–1949 | U.S. Representative from Florida |
| Bob Graham | 1979–1987 | U.S. Senator from Florida* |
| Lawton Chiles | 1991–1998 | U.S. Senator from Florida |
| Buddy MacKay | 1998–1999 | U.S. Representative from Florida |
Florida Living Former Governors
| Governor | Gubernatorial Term | Date of Birth |
|---|---|---|
| Claude R. Kirk, Jr. | 1967–1971 | January 7, 1926 (1926-01-07) (age 84) |
| Reubin Askew | 1971–1979 | September 11, 1928 (1928-09-11) (age 81) |
| Bob Graham | 1979–1987 | November 9, 1936 (1936-11-09) (age 73) |
| Wayne Mixson | 1987 | June 16, 1922 (1922-06-16) (age 88) |
| Bob Martinez | 1987–1991 | December 25, 1934 (1934-12-25) (age 75) |
| Buddy MacKay | 1998–1999 | March 22, 1933 (1933-03-22) (age 77) |
| Jeb Bush | 1999–2007 | February 11, 1953 (1953-02-11) (age 57) |
List of United States Senators From Florida
Class 1
| # | Senator | Party | Took Office | Left Office | Other Offices | Term | Electoral History |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Levy Yulee | Democratic | July 1, 1845 | March 4, 1851 | Florida Territory's Congressional Delegate (1841–1845) Later served in Florida's Class 3 seat |
1 | Elected in 1845 Lost re-election |
| 2 | Stephen Mallory | Democratic | March 4, 1851 | January 21, 1861 | Confederate States Secretary of the Navy (1861–1865) |
2 | Elected in 1851 |
| 3 | Re-elected in 1857 Withdrew |
||||||
| Vacant | January 21, 1861 | June 17, 1868 | Civil War and Reconstruction | ||||
| 4 | |||||||
| 3 | Adonijah Welch | Republican | June 17, 1868 | March 4, 1869 | Elected to finish term Retired |
||
| 4 | Abijah Gilbert | Republican | March 4, 1869 | March 4, 1875 | 5 | Elected in 1869 Retired |
|
| 5 | Charles W. Jones | Democratic | March 4, 1875 | March 4, 1887 | 6 | Elected in 1875 | |
| 7 | Re-elected in 1881 Retired |
||||||
| Vacant | April 17, 1899 | April 20, 1899 | 8 | ||||
| 6 | Samuel Pasco | Democratic | May 19, 1887 | April 18, 1899 | Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives (1887) |
Elected late to finish term in 1887 | |
| 9 | Appointed in 1893 to continue next term Elected to finish term |
||||||
| 10 | Appointed in 1899 to continue next term Lost election to finish term |
||||||
| Vacant | April 17, 1899 | April 20, 1899 | |||||
| 7 | James P. Taliaferro | Democratic | April 20, 1899 | March 4, 1911 | Elected to finish Pasco's term | ||
| 11 | Re-elected in 1904 Lost re-election |
||||||
| 8 | Nathan P. Bryan | Democratic | March 4, 1911 | March 4, 1917 | Judge of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (1920–1935) |
12 | Elected in 1910 Lost re-election |
| 9 | Park Trammell | Democratic | March 4, 1917 | May 8, 1936 | Governor of Florida (1913–1917) Florida Attorney General (1909–1913) President of the Florida Senate (1905) |
13 | Elected in 1916 |
| 14 | Re-elected in 1924 | ||||||
| 15 | Re-elected in 1930 Died |
||||||
| Vacant | May 8, 1936 | May 26, 1936 | |||||
| 10 | Scott M. Loftin | Democratic | May 26, 1936 | November 3, 1936 | President of the American Bar Association (1934–1935) |
Apointed to continue Trammell's term Successor elected |
|
| 11 | Charles O. Andrews | Democratic | November 4, 1936 | September 18, 1946 | Elected to finish Trammell's term having been elected to the next term | ||
| 16 | Elected to full term in 1936 | ||||||
| 17 | Re-elected in 1942 Died |
||||||
| Vacant | September 18, 1946 | September 25, 1946 | |||||
| 12 | Spessard Holland | Democratic | September 25, 1946 | January 3, 1971 | Governor of Florida (1941–1945) |
Elected to finish Andrews's term | |
| 18 | Elected to full term in 1948 | ||||||
| 19 | Re-elected in 1954 | ||||||
| 20 | Re-elected in 1960 | ||||||
| 21 | Re-elected in 1966 Retired |
||||||
| 13 | Lawton Chiles | Democratic | January 3, 1971 | January 3, 1989 | Governor of Florida (1991–1998) |
22 | Elected in 1970 |
| 23 | Re-elected in 1976 | ||||||
| 24 | Re-elected in 1982 Retired |
||||||
| 14 | Connie Mack III | Republican | January 3, 1989 | January 3, 2001 | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1983–1989) |
25 | Elected in 1988 |
| 26 | Re-elected in 1994 Retired |
||||||
| 15 | Bill Nelson | Democratic | January 3, 2001 | Incumbent | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1979–1991) |
27 | Elected in 2000 |
| 28 | Re-elected in 2006 | ||||||
Class 3
| # | Senator | Party | Took Office | Left Office | Other Offices | Electoral History | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Westcott | Democratic | July 1, 1845 | March 4, 1849 | Retired | ||
| 2 | Jackson Morton | Whig | March 4, 1849 | March 4, 1855 | Confederate States Representative (1862–1865) | Retired | |
| 3 | David Levy Yulee | Democratic | March 4, 1855 | January 21, 1861 | Florida Territory's Congressional Delegate (1841–1845) |
Withdrew | |
| Vacant during the Civil War and Reconstruction | |||||||
| 4 | Thomas W. Osborn | Republican | June 25, 1868 | March 4, 1873 | Commissioner, Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (1876) | Retired | |
| 5 | Simon B. Conover | Republican | March 4, 1873 | March 4, 1879 | Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Florida Treasurer (1868–1873) |
Retired | |
| 6 | Wilkinson Call | Democratic | March 4, 1879 | March 4, 1897 | Retired | ||
| 7 | Stephen R. Mallory, Jr. | Democratic | May 15, 1897 | December 23, 1907 | U.S. Representatives (1891–1895) | Died | |
| Vacant | December 23, 1907 | December 26, 1907 | |||||
| 8 | William James Bryan | Democratic | December 26, 1907 | March 22, 1908 | Died | ||
| Vacant | March 22, 1908 | March 27, 1908 | |||||
| 9 | William Hall Milton | Democratic | March 27, 1908 | March 4, 1909 | Retired | ||
| 10 | Duncan U. Fletcher | Democratic | March 4, 1909 | June 17, 1936 | Died | ||
| Vacant | June 17, 1936 | July 1, 1936 | |||||
| 11 | William Luther Hill | Democratic | July 1, 1936 | November 3, 1936 | Successor qualified | ||
| 12 | Claude Pepper | Democratic | November 4, 1936 | January 3, 1951 | U.S. Representatives (1963–1989) | Lost renomination | |
| 13 | George Smathers | Democratic | January 3, 1951 | January 3, 1969 | U.S. Representatives (1947–1951) | Retired | |
| 14 | Edward J. Gurney | Republican | January 3, 1969 | December 31, 1974 | U.S. Representatives (1963–1969) | Resigned | |
| 15 | Richard Stone | Democratic | January 1, 1975 | December 31, 1980 | Ambassador at Large and Special Envoy to Central America Ambassador to Denmark Florida Secretary of State (1970–1974) |
Resigned | |
| 16 | Paula Hawkins | Republican | January 1, 1981 | January 3, 1987 | Lost re-election | ||
| 17 | Bob Graham | Democratic | January 3, 1987 | January 3, 2005 | Governor of Florida (1979–1987) | Retired | |
| 18 | Mel Martinez | Republican | January 3, 2005 | September 9, 2009 | Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2001–2003) | Resigned | |
| 19 | George LeMieux | Republican | September 10, 2009 | Incumbent | |||
