Leonard Bembry | |
---|---|
Member of the FloridaHouseofRepresentatives from the 10th district | |
In office November 4, 2008 –November 6, 2012 | |
Preceded by | Will Kendrick |
Succeeded by | Elizabeth W. Porter |
Personal details | |
Born | Jasper,Florida,U.S. | August 24,1947
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Susan Bembry |
Children | Lori L. Weldon,Jacquelyn M. "Missy" Culp,Leonard L. "Kipp" Bembry Jr. |
Residence | Greenville,Florida |
Alma mater | North Florida Community College (AA)) |
Occupation | Retail,farmer |
Leonard L. Bembry is an American Democratic politician who served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2008 to 2012. Bembry represented the 10th District in the House,which included Hamilton,Madison,and Taylor Counties,and parts of Alachua,Columbia,Dixie,Franklin,Jefferson,Levy,and Wakulla Counties. He ran for Congress in 2012,but lost in the Democratic primary to Al Lawson.
Bembry was born in Jasper,Florida on his family's tobacco farm. [1] He worked as a page in the Florida Legislature in 1960,and his cousin,Payton Bembry,Jr.,served in the State House in the mid-1960s. [2] Bembry attended North Florida Community College,receiving his associates degree,and Florida State University,though he did not graduate. [3] He later owned and operated his family tobacco farm,and acquired three other farms in North Florida with his wife,including Pettis Springs Farm in Greenville. [4] Bembry participated in the Florida Farm Bureau's County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship program,organized against the construction of a coal-fired energy plant near his farms. [5] In addition to farming,Bembry also owned and operated University Homes,a mobile home dealership and served as a member of the Madison County Development Council. [6] [7]
When incumbent Republican state representative Will Kendrick was term-limited in the 10th House District,Bembry announced a campaign to replace him,running as a conservative Democrat. Bembry faced Julie Conley,the director of the Jefferson County Economic Development Council and the former mayor of Monticello,in the Democratic primary. [5] Bembry defeated Conley 58–42%. [8]
In the general election,Bembry faced Don Curtis,a small business owner and former assistant director of the Florida Division of Forestry. [7] Bembry emphasized that he was a "very conservative Democrat" and argued that while the state budget needed to be prioritized,"we don't need to raise more taxes." He campaigned on his experience on the county development council,arguing that the county's model should be expanded across the district to develop infrastructure and attract jobs. [6] He won the endorsements of unions like the AFL-CIO,AFSCME,the Communication Workers of America,and other trade unions. [9] Bembry won the election 54–46%. [10]
During his first term in the legislature,Bembry successfully passed legislation that waived therapist confidentiality when their patient poses a "clear and imminent probability of harm" and that established a pest control insurance fund to finance pest control operations. [2]
In 2010,Bembry ran for re-election and faced Republican David Feigin,a retired Coast Guard veteran and a pizzeria owner. Bembry defeating Feigin by a wide 59–41% margin. [11]
In Bembry's second and final term in the legislature,he worked with Madison County residents to shut down an attempt by Nestlé to extract 1.5 million gallons of water every day from the Wacissa River and bottle it,which resulted in the county commission enacting an aquifer protection ordinance. [12] When Governor Rick Scott attempted to close down the Jefferson Correctional Institution in Monticello,Bembry attempted to convince the House budget committee to oppose the effort,but was ultimately unsuccessful. [13]
On November 17,2011,Bembry announced that he would challenge Republican Congressman Steve Southerland in Florida's 2nd congressional district in 2012 rather than seek a third term in the legislature. Bembry began his campaign by criticizing Southerland for not keeping the promises he made in 2010, [14] and by announcing that he would focus on job creation,cutting taxes,protecting seniors,and protecting the region's water resources. [15] Owing to his reputation as the "most conservative Democrat in the House," [16] he was endorsed by the Blue Dog PAC,which supports conservative Democrats. [17] Bembry faced former state senator Al Lawson,former Bay County Democratic Party chairman Alvin Peters,and Florida Innocence Project chairman Mark Schlakman in the Democratic primary. [18] Former Republican state senator Nancy Argenziano was planning on joining the race,but she was barred by state law from running as a Democrat,and so opted to run for the state house instead. [19]
Bembry started off the race as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's preferred candidate,featuring him as running in an "emerging race." [20] However,members of the Congressional Black Caucus,like Congresswoman Corrine Brown and then-Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn,split with party leadership,endorsing Lawson. [20]
Lawson won the Democratic primary by a wide margin,receiving 55% of the vote to Bembry's 26%,Peters's 14%,and Schlakman's 5%. [21]
Frederick Allen Boyd Jr. is an American politician and the former United States Representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He currently works for a lobbying firm,the Twenty-First Century Group.
Corrine Brown is an American former politician and convicted felon who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida from 1993 to 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party. After a court-ordered redistricting significantly changed her district and a federal felony conviction for corruption,Brown was defeated in the 2016 Democratic primary by Al Lawson,who went on to win Brown's former seat.
Will S. Kendrick is a Republican politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008,representing the 10th District.
Alfred James Lawson Jr. is an American businessman and politician who was the U.S. representative for Florida's 5th congressional district from 2017 to 2023. The district,which was eliminated following redistricting during the 2022 Florida legislative session,stretched across most of the border with Georgia,including most of the majority-black areas between Tallahassee and Jacksonville. Lawson challenged fellow Congressman Neal Dunn in the newly redrawn 2nd congressional district,which pitted them against each other in Lawson's home city. Lawson won the Democratic primary unopposed,and lost to Dunn in the general election.
Charles S. Dean Sr. is a Republican politician who served as a member of the Florida Senate,representing the 5th District,which includes Baker,Citrus,Columbia,Dixie,Gilchrist,Lafayette,Levy,western Marion,Suwannee,and Union Counties in North Florida,from 2012 to 2016,previously representing the 3rd District from 2007 to 2012. Before winning election to the Senate,Dean served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 43rd District from 2002 to 2007.
The 2010 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida were held on November 2,2010,to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms;those elected served in the 112th Congress from January 2011 until January 2013. Florida had twenty-five seats in the House,apportioned according to the 2000 United States census,but would soon gain two more congressional seats in 2012.
William Steve Southerland II is an American businessman,lobbyist and former Republican Party politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district from 2011 to 2015. The district includes most of the eastern Florida Panhandle,from Panama City to the state capital,Tallahassee. He was narrowly defeated for re-election in 2014 by Democrat Gwen Graham,becoming one of only two incumbent House Republicans to lose a general election that year,along with Lee Terry of Nebraska.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday,November 6,2012,to elect the twenty-seven congressional representatives from the state,one from each of the state's twenty-seven congressional districts,a two-seat increase due to the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including a quadrennial presidential election,and a U.S. Senate election. The primary elections were held August 14,2012.
The 2000 congressional elections in Florida were held on November 7,2000,to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms;those elected served in the 107th Congress from January 3,2001,until January 3,2003. The election coincided with the 2000 United States presidential election.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday,November 4,2014,to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida,one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including Governor of Florida. There was no net party change,as Democrat Gwen Graham defeated Republican incumbent Steve Southerland in the 2nd district,while Republican Carlos Curbelo defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Garcia in the 26th district.
Gwendolyn Graham is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district from 2015 to 2017. She is the daughter of Bob Graham,the former United States senator and governor of Florida. A Democrat,she was a candidate in the 2018 Democratic primary for Florida governor. Graham is currently assistant secretary of education for legislation and congressional affairs in the Biden administration.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday,November 8,2016,to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida,one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including President of the United States.
Neal Patrick Dunn is an American surgeon and Republican Party politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district since 2017.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Florida,on November 4,2014.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Florida on November 6,2018. All of Florida's executive officers were up for election as well as Florida's Class I Senate seat and all 27 seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were on August 28,2018. The Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate seat held by three-term Democrat Bill Nelson in an upset while the Democrats picked up two House seats as well as the office of the Commissioner of Agriculture. The Republican gains in the state despite the trend towards Democrats nationwide were part of Florida's transition from a swing state to a red state.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on November 3,2020,to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from Florida,one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the U.S. Senate,and various state and local elections.
The 2024 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 5,2024,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Florida. Republican incumbent Rick Scott won a second term,defeating Democratic former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. The primary election was August 20,2024.
The 2022 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 8,2022,to elect the governor of Florida,alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Ron DeSantis won re-election in a landslide and defeated the Democratic Party nominee,Charlie Crist,who served as governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 as a Republican and later as an independent. No Democrat has been elected governor of Florida since 1994.
Jason Shoaf is an American politician serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 7th district,which includes Franklin,Gulf,Jefferson,Dixie,Suwannee,Hamilton,Lafayette,Liberty,Taylor,and Wakulla Counties,and part of Leon County. He was first elected in a 2019 special election.
Janegale M. Boyd is a Democratic politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000. She unsuccessfully ran for the Florida Senate in 2000,losing the Democratic primary to Al Lawson.