Florida Senate
In 1996,Republican State Senator Robert Harden declined to seek re-election, [2] and Clary ran to succeed him in the 7th District,which stretched from Panama City to Pensacola. [3]
In the Republican primary,he ran against former State Representative Lois Benson,former Bay County Commissioner Rick Seltzer,retired rocket scientist Mac McMillan,and talk show host Joe Webb. [4] Clary placed second in the primary with 30 percent behind Benson,who won 34 percent. [5] However,because Benson did not receive a majority of the vote,a runoff election was held between the two of them. [6]
In the runoff election,Clary narrowly defeated Benson,receiving 51 percent of the vote to her 49 percent. [7] He faced Democratic nominee Richard "Beef" Harden,an Air Force Reserve pilot. [8] Clary defeated Haddad in a landslide,winning 60 percent of the vote. [9]
Clary ran for re-election in 2000 and was unopposed. [10]
In 2002,following the reconfiguration of Florida's state legislative districts after the 2000 census,Clary ran for re-election in the 4th District,which included most of the territory he previously represented. [11] He was challenged in the Republican primary by State Representative Jerry Melvin. [12] He defeated Melvin for renomination,winning 55 percent of the vote, [13] and his only opponent in the general election,a write-in candidate,dropped out of the race,allowing him to win re-election unopposed. [14] He was selected as the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for the 2004–2006 session. [15]
Clary was unable to seek re-election in 2006,and was succeeded by Republican Don Gaetz. [16] He initially announced that he would run for Chief Financial Officer in 2006,but dropped out of the race on September 12,2005,and endorsed State Senate President Tom Lee. [17]
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