Florida Democratic Party

The Florida Democratic Party is the official organization for Democrats in the state of Florida.

Related Topics:
Democrats - Florida

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The Florida Democratic Party has historically held the governorship of the state of Florida much more than the Republican Party. From 1877 until 1917 no gubernatorial candidate of any party save the Democratic Party was elected Governor of Florida. In 1916 Sidney J. Catts of the Prohibition Party was elected Governor of Florida and served only one term. From 1921 to 1967 only Democrats were elected to the governorship of Florida. In 1966 Claude R. Kirk, Jr. was elected as the first Republican Governor of Florida since 1877. He rode to victory at the height of the Vietnam War, when many Floridians were feeling hostility toward the Democrats. Kirk was defeated in 1970 by Reubin O'D. Askew, the Democratic State Senate President from Escambia County, Florida. From 1971 until 1999, except for a short interruption from 1987 to 1991, no Republican was elected Governor of Florida. In 1998, Republican Businessman John Ellis "Jeb" Bush was elected Governor of Florida. in 2002 he became the first Republican in Florida's history to be reelected to the Governorship of the State. In the 2006 election, three prominent Florida Democrats are running for the party's nomination: U.S. Representative Jim Davis from Tampa, Florida and Democratic State Senator Rod Smith from Alachua, Florida.

Related Topics:
1877 - 1917 - 1916 - Sidney J. Catts - Prohibition Party - 1921 - 1967 - 1966 - Claude R. Kirk, Jr. - 1970 - Reubin O'D. Askew - Escambia County, Florida - 1971 - 1999 - 1987 - 1991 - 1998 - John Ellis "Jeb" Bush - 2002 - 2006 election - Jim Davis - Tampa, Florida - Rod Smith - Alachua, Florida

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As of 2005 there is only one Democrat elected to a statewide office in the state of Florida, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, who is the senior U.S. Senator from the State after the retirement of Democratic U.S. Senator and former Florida Governor Bob Graham. Nelson is one of eight Democrats in Florida's Congressional Delegation.

Related Topics:
As of 2005 - Florida - Bill Nelson - Bob Graham

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The current chairman of the Florida Democratic Party is former U.S. Representative Karen Thurman.

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