Florida House of Representatives
In 1998,Democratic State Representative Keith Arnold declined to seek re-election,and instead opted to run for Governor. [3] Kyle ran to succeed him, [2] and faced a crowded Republican primary. He placed first in the primary,receiving 34 percent of the vote,and advanced to a runoff election with businessman Jim Fleming, [4] who placed second with 27 percent of the vote. [5] Kyle ultimately defeated Fleming in a landslide, [6] receiving 65 percent of the vote. [7]
Kyle faced Democratic nominee Frank Mann Jr.,an attorney and the son of former state legislator Franklin B. Mann,in the general election. [8] Aided in part by Jeb Bush's victory in the gubernatorial election,Kyle defeated Mann, [9] winning 54 percent of the vote to Mann's 46 percent. [10]
In 2000,Kyle ran for re-election and was challenged by attorney Maria Lara Peet,the Chair of the Lee County Democratic Party. [11] Kyle entered the campaign as the frontrunner,significantly outraising Peet,though declining to debate her at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters,citing a schedule conflict. [12] Kyle ultimately defeated Peet in a landslide, [13] receiving 62 percent of the vote to her 38 percent. [14]
In Kyle's second term,he joined with several other conservative first- and second-term state legislators to form the Freedom Caucus in the State House. The group,which included Kyle,Connie Mack IV,Joe Negron,Carey Baker,Mike Haridopolos,Donald Brown,Jim Kallinger,Jeff Kottkamp,and Chris Hart IV,set out to oppose a tax reform plan by State Senate President John McKay,and launched radio advertisements in opposition to the plan. [15]
Following the reconfiguration of Florida's legislative districts after the 2000 Census,Kyle explored a campaign for the State Senate, [16] but he was drawn into the same district as incumbent Republican State Senator Burt Saunders, [17] and he ultimately decided to seek re-election. [18] Kyle was challenged in the Republican primary by attorney Mike McQuagge,a former University of Florida quarterback. [19] He ultimately defeated McQuagge by a wide margin,receiving 62 percent of the vote to McQuagge's 38 percent. [20] In the general election,Kyle faced Christie Norman,the President of the Democratic Women's Club of Lee County,and Libertarian Kim Hawk. [21] He won re-election in a landslide,winning 63 percent of the vote to Norman's 34 percent and Hawk's 3 percent. [22]
Kyle was re-elected unopposed in 2004 to his fourth and final term in the State House. [23]
Twentieth Judicial Circuit
In 2006,Kyle was term-limited and unable to run for a fifth consecutive term in the State House. Accordingly,he ran for a seat on the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court,which included Charlotte,Collier,Glades,Hendry,and Lee counties in southwest Florida. [24] He defeated attorney Steve Holmes in the nonpartisan primary election by a wide margin, [25] winning 61 percent of the vote to Holmes's 39 percent. [26]
Kyle was re-elected without opposition in 2012, [27] 2018, [28] and 2024. [29]
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