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4 unusual facts about Florida House of Representatives


Alexander MacWilliam, Sr.

(1891–1966) was a mayor of Vero Beach, Florida from 1927 to 1945, and from 1949 to 1951, he also served in the Florida House of Representatives from Indian River County in the 1933, 1945, 1947, 1949 and 1951 sessions.

Elections in Florida

Members of the Florida House of Representatives are elected every two years, while members of the Florida Senate are elected every four years.

Florida House

Florida House of Representatives, one of the two Chambers of the Florida Legislature

Key lime pie

On 1 July 2006, both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate passed legislation {HB 453} and {SB 676} selecting "Key lime pie" as the official pie of the state of Florida.


Anitere Flores

After law school, Senator Flores was hired by the Florida House of Representatives to work on the Education Council, and later worked for Governor Jeb Bush as his Education Policy Chief.

Betty Reed

When incumbent State Representative Arthenia Joyner opted to run for the Florida Senate rather than seek re-election, Reed ran to succeed her in the 59th District, which stretched from University to Gibsonton and included much of Tampa in Hillsborough County.

Bill Hager

Bill Hager (born February 6, 1947) is a businessman, attorney and Republican politician who serves as a Representative in the Florida House of Representatives.

Bruce Antone

In 2000, when incumbent State Representative Alzo J. Reddick did not seek re-election, Antone ran to succeed him, facing Gary Siplin, Wardell Sims, Miles Brooks, and David Rucker in the Democratic primary.

Carl Zimmermann

In 2006, when incumbent Republican State Representative Gus Bilirakis vacated his House seat due to term limits and ran for Congress, Zimmermann ran to succeed him in the 48th District, which included a few precincts in Pasco County and northern Pinellas County.

Carl Zimmermann (born February 24, 1951) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 65th District, which includes northern Pinellas County, since 2012.

Dan Raulerson

Dan Raulerson (born July 3, 1957) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 58th District, which includes northern Hillsborough County, since 2012.

Dannite H. Mays

He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1891, 1895, and 1897, serving as speaker in 1897.

Daphne Campbell

When incumbent State Representative Ronald Brise accepted a position on the Florida Public Service Commission in 2010, an open seat was created in the 108th District.

Darren Soto

In 2006, Soto ran for a seat in Florida House of Representatives from the 40th District, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent State Representative Andy Gardiner.

Donald L. Tucker Civic Center

The arena was named the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in 1977 in honor of Donald L. Tucker, Esq., a former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and Special Ambassador for the United States to the Dominican Republic.

Dorothy L. Hukill

When incumbent Democratic State Representative Suzanne Kosmas was unable to seek an additional term in the House due to term limits, Hukill ran to succeed her, and narrowly defeated Democrat Jim Ward and two independent candidates to win the seat.

Dwight Dudley

He won the Democratic nomination unopposed, and in the general election, he faced former State Representative Frank Farkas, the Republican nominee, and independent candidate Matthew Weidner.

Garrett Richter

In 2006, Richter sought election to the Florida House of Representatives from the 76th District following the retirement of incumbent State Representative J. Dudley Goodlette.

Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed

In 2008, following the inability of State Representative Jack Seiler to seek re-election due to term limits, Clarke-Reed ran to succeed him in the 92nd District.

Hazelle P. Rogers

When incumbent State Representative Matthew Meadows, was unable to seek re-election in 2008 due to term limits, she ran to succeed him in the 94th District, which ran from Broward Estates to North Lauderdale in Broward County.

Heather Fitzenhagen

Heather Fitzenhagen (born October 8, 1960) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 78th District, which includes central Lee County, namely, Fort Myers, since 2012.

Holly Merrill Raschein

Holly Merrill Raschein (born December 16, 1980) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 120th District, which includes Monroe County and southern Miami-Dade County, since 2012.

J. W. Grant

When incumbent State Representative Kevin Ambler could not seek another term in the House due to term limits and instead decided to unsuccessfully run for the Florida State Senate, Grant ran to succeed him in the 47th District, which included parts of Hillsborough County.

W. Grant (born September 20, 1982) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 45th District, which includes northern Hillsborough County and northern Pinellas County, since 2012.

Jake Raburn

In 2012, following the reconfiguration of the Florida House of Representatives districts, Raburn ran in the newly created 57th District, which was based in the rural, eastern parts of Hillsborough County.

Janet Cruz

Janet Cruz (born July 7, 1956) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 62nd District, which includes northwestern Hillsborough County, namely Town 'n' Country, since 2012.

On December 13, 2009, State Representative Michael Scionti resigned from the House to serve as the Deputy Assistant secretary of Defense for Intergovernmental Affairs and Homeland Defense, which prompted a special election in the 58th District.

Jeff Atwater

In the general election, Atwater faced off against former State Representative Loranne Ausley, whom he defeated in a landslide.

Jeff Clemens

In the Democratic primary, he faced fellow State Representative Mack Bernard.

Johnathon Byrd

He served as State Representative from District 62 (R-Plant City) from 1996 until 2004, and served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004.

Joseph Abruzzo

Additionally, Abruzzo worked with State Representative Joe Saunders to propose the Competitive Workforce Act, which would "update the state's Civil Rights Act of 1992 to include protections against discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation and gender identity," which a University of Florida poll suggested that 73 percent of Floridians supported.

Karen Castor Dentel

When the state legislative districts were redrawn in 2012, incumbent State Representative Scott Plakon opted to run for re-election in the newly created 30th District so as to avoid a contentious primary with fellow Republican Chris Dorworth, which required him to relocate his family, as he did not live in the 30th District.

Kathleen Passidomo

In 2010, incumbent Republican State Representative Tom Grady declined to seek another term in the House, Passidomo ran to succeed him in District 76, which included Collier County.

Larry Lee, Jr.

(born October 20, 1953) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 84th District, which includes eastern St. Lucie County, since 2012.

Mark Danish

Mark Danish (born February 15, 1954) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 63rd District, which includes northern Hillsborough County, namely northern Tampa, Pebble Creek, Lake Magdalene, University, and Carrollwood, since 2012.

Nancy C. Detert

Detert faced businessman Vern Buchanan, businessman Tramm Hudson, former State Representative Mark G. Flanagan and fellow State Representative Donna Clarke.

Neil Combee

Combee was going to run for the legislature in 2010 when incumbent State Representative Kelli Stargel was planning on seeking the Florida Senate seat held by Paula Dockery, who planned on running for Governor.

Phillip Brutus

Phillip J. Brutus (born November 26, 1957, in Port-au-Prince) is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives.

Ray Pilon

In 2010, when incumbent Democratic State Representative Keith Fitzgerald ran for a third term in the House, Pilon returned from political retirement to challenge him in the 69th District, which included a few precincts in southern Manatee County and northwestern Sarasota County.

René García

While serving in the Senate, García joined with State Representative Michael Bileca to sponsor legislation that prevented state and local governments in Florida from doing business with companies that were connected to Cuba.

Ross Spano

Ross Spano (born July 16, 1966) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 59th District, which includes central Hillsborough County, since 2012.

Seth McKeel

Seth McKeel (born on June 5, 1975) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 40th District, which includes most of metropolitan Lakeland in Polk County, since 2012.

Suwannee High School

Dwight Stansel, who graduated in 1964, served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 1998–2006.

Wynne, Arkansas

Clay Ford (1938-2013), Republican former member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2007 until his death; member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1975 to 1976; born in Wynne; died in Florida


see also

Chris Dorworth

In 2010, Dorworth was elected by his fellow Republicans to serve as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives during the 2014-2016 term, provided Republicans maintained control of the Florida House of Representatives.

Michael S. Bennett

On November 4, 2009, Bennett introduced Senate Bill 598, part of a joint resolution with Republicans Baxter Troutman and Kevin Ambler in the Florida House of Representatives to increase length of terms for senators to six years, and state representatives to four years, capping years of service for all state lawmakers, elected county officials and municipal officers to 12 consecutive years in office.

Michael Weinstein

Mike Weinstein (born 1949), Member of the Florida House of Representatives

National Louis University

Betty Reed, State Representative, Florida House of Representatives

Richard Steinberg

Richard L. Steinberg (born 1972), former member of the Florida House of Representatives

Robert Casey

Robert K. Casey (born 1931), member of the Florida House of Representatives

Tracy Stafford

Due to term limits, Tracy retired from the Florida House of Representatives in 2000 and was replaced by the Democratic Mayor of Wilton Manors Jack Seiler.

William Proctor

William L. Proctor (born 1933), Republican Party member of the Florida House of Representatives