Cynthia Stafford | |
---|---|
Member of the FloridaHouseofRepresentatives from the 109th district | |
In office November 2, 2010 –November 6, 2018 | |
Preceded by | James Bush |
Succeeded by | James Bush |
Personal details | |
Born | Miami,Florida,U.S. | July 11,1967
Political party | Democratic |
Alma mater | St. Thomas University (BA,JD) |
Profession | Attorney |
Cynthia A. Stafford (born July 11,1967) is a Democratic politician and a former member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 109th District,which includes northeastern Miami-Dade County,from 2010 to 2018.
Stafford was born in Miami,and attended St. Thomas University,where she graduated with a degree in communication arts in 1993. She later graduated from the St. Thomas University School of Law in 1999,and later worked as an attorney. Stafford also worked for Congresswoman Carrie P. Meek as a legislative aide.
In 2008,when incumbent State Representative Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall was prevented from seeking an additional term due to term limits,Stafford ran to succeed her in the Democratic primary in the 109th District. In a crowded,nine candidate field,she narrowly lost to former State Representative James Bush by 132 votes,receiving 27% of the vote to Bush's 28%.
Two years later,Bush declined to run again,so that he could instead run for Congress,and Stafford ran to succeed him. She faced Bush's wife,Bernadine Bush;Bess McElroy;and Roy Hardemon in the Democratic primary,whom she defeated with 43% of the vote. She was unopposed in the general election. In 2012,when Florida House of Representatives districts were redrawn in 2012,Stafford remained in the 109th District,as her home and most of the territory that she had previously represented remained in the district. Once again,she faced Bernadine Bush in the primary,but Bush did not present a significant challenge to her,and she defeated her opponent in a landslide,receiving 64% of the vote. She was unopposed in the general election and won her second term uncontested.
While serving in the legislature,Stafford took a strong stance against legislation that passed through the state legislature that would "overhaul the alimony system by ending life-long payments and allowing judges to change existing deals," condemning the bill as "one-sided,anti-woman,and mean-spirited." [1] She also opposed legislation that would expedite the foreclosure process in Florida,noting,"The bill appears to diminish the rights of homeowners and consumers,while attempting to steamline the process." [2] In 2014,Stafford joined with State Senator Dwight Bullard to propose legislation that would have raised the minimum wage in the state from $7.93 to $10.10 per hour,arguing that it would not only help families make ends meet,but would help businesses as well,observing,"When people are making more,they will spend more." [3]
In 2014,Stafford was re-elected to her third term in the legislature without opposition.
Tom Lee is an American Republican politician from Florida. He represented parts of the Tampa area in the Florida Senate from 1996 to 2006,and again from 2012 to 2020. He served as Senate President from 2004 to 2006. He was the Republican nominee for Chief Financial Officer of Florida in 2006,but lost to Democratic nominee Alex Sink.
Arthenia Joyner is an American politician,attorney,and civil rights activist from Florida. She served as a member of the Florida Senate for ten years,representing parts of the Tampa Bay Area from 2006 to 2016. She was the Senate minority leader during her last two years in office. Prior to being elected to the Senate,Joyner served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing an eastern Tampa-based district from 2000 to 2006. Currently,Joyner is Of Counsel with the Swope,Rodante P.A. law firm located in Ybor City,FL.
Evan Boyd Jenne is an American Democratic politician who had served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 99th District,which included most of Hollywood in southern Broward County,from 2014 to 2022. Previously,Jenne represented the 100th District,which stretched from Dania Beach to Pembroke Pines in southern Broward County,from 2006 to 2012. Jenne has been co-leader under Broward colleague Bobby DuBose as House minority leader for the 2020–2022 Legislature.
Dennis K. Baxley is a state legislator in Florida who served in the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2024. A Republican,he represents the 12th district including Sumter County and parts of Lake County and Marion County in Central Florida. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives,representing parts of Marion County from 2000 to 2007 and again from 2010 until his election to the Senate in 2016. He served on the Belleview City Commission and as its mayor.
Betty Reed was a Democratic politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014,representing the 59th District from 2006 to 2012 and the 61st District,which included downtown Tampa in northern Hillsborough County,from 2012 to 2014.
Kelly Skidmore is a politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 90th District,from 2006 to 2008. A Democrat,she ran unsuccessfully for the Florida Senate in 2010 and again for the Florida House in 2016.
Will Weatherford is an American politician who was a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014,representing the 61st District from 2006 to 2012 and the 38th District,which included eastern Pasco County,from 2012 to 2014. During his final term in the legislature,he served as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives,which made him the youngest presiding officer of any state legislative chamber in the United States at the time.
Mia L. Jones was a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 14th District,which includes parts of downtown Jacksonville in northern Duval County,from 2008 to 2016.
Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed was a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 92nd District,which includes northeastern Broward County,stretching from Deerfield Beach to Fort Lauderdale,from 2008 to 2016,when she was term-limited.
Hazelle P. Rogers is a Democratic member of the Broward County Commission. She was a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives and was the Mayor of Lauderdale Lakes. She formerly represented the 95th District,which includes North Lauderdale,Lauderdale Lakes,and Lauderhill in northern Broward County,from 2012 to 2016,previously representing the 94th District from 2008 to 2012,before redistricting took place. She won an election to the Broward County Commission on August 23,2022. She was sworn into this position in November 2022.
Ed Hooper is a Republican member of the Florida Senate,representing the 21st District,which includes Clearwater and Largo in northern Pinellas County and western Pasco County,since 2018.
Lois Jane Frankel is an American politician and lawyer who has been the United States representative for Florida's 22nd congressional district since 2023 and from 2013 to 2017 and Florida’s 21st congressional district from 2017 to 2023. As a member of the Democratic Party,Frankel was a 7-term member of the Florida House of Representatives and a two-term mayor of West Palm Beach.
Alan B. Williams is a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Florida. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2008 to 2016,representing a district based in Gadsden County and Tallahassee in Leon County. Williams is currently deputy assistant secretary of housing and urban development for congressional and intergovernmental relations.
Lori Berman is a Democratic member of the Florida Senate,representing parts of central Palm Beach County since being elected in an April 2018 special election. She previously served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 until her election to the Senate.
James William "J.W." Grant is a Republican politician from Florida. Since August 2020,he has been Florida's chief information officer and director of the Division of State Technology within the state Department of Management Services. Previously,he represented parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010–2014 and 2015–2020.
Kionne L. McGhee is an American Democratic politician from Florida who has served as a member of the Miami-Dade County Commission since 2020. Previously,he served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2020,representing south-central Miami-Dade County stretching from Richmond Heights to Florida City. He was the House Minority Leader for the 2018–20 legislature.
Janet Cruz is an American politician who formerly served as a Democratic member of the Florida Senate,representing part of Hillsborough County and Tampa from 2018 until 2022 before losing re-election,as well as four terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing a Tampa-based district from 2010 until her election to the Senate.
Jimmie Todd Smith is an American politician. he is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 34th District,which includes Citrus County and northern Hernando County,elected in 2012. He also was a House member representing the 43rd District from 2010 to 2012. His last office was as a member of the Citrus County Board of Commissioners,starting in 2016,until losing renomination in a separate district. He is a Republican and U.S. Army veteran.
Bobby Powell is a Democratic politician who is a member of the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously served as a member of the Florida Senate representing West Palm Beach and surrounding areas in northeastern Palm Beach County,from 2016 to 2024. He previously served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the parts of the West Palm Beach area from 2012 to 2016.
Daniel Wright Burgess Jr. is an American politician who currently serves as a Florida State Senator from District 20,which includes parts of Tampa,Thonotosassa,New Tampa,and Zephyrhills. He previously served as the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs,as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,and as the mayor of Zephyrhills.