Bob Graham

American lawyer, author, and politician (1936–2024)

Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham (November 9, 1936 – April 16, 2024) was an American politician. He was a well known member of the Democratic Party.

Bob Graham
United States Senator
from Florida
In office
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2005
Preceded byPaula Hawkins
Succeeded byMel Martínez
Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee
In office
June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded byRichard Shelby
Succeeded byPat Roberts
38th Governor of Florida
In office
January 2, 1979 – January 3, 1987
LieutenantWayne Mixson
Preceded byReubin Askew
Succeeded byWayne Mixson
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 33rd district
48th (1970–1972)
In office
November 3, 1970 – November 7, 1978
Preceded byRichard Stone
Succeeded byJohn A. Hill
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 105th district
Dade County, Group 16 (1966–1967)
In office
November 8, 1966 – November 3, 1970
Preceded byDistrict established
Succeeded bySherman Winn
Personal details
Born
Daniel Robert Graham

(1936-11-09)November 9, 1936
Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.
DiedApril 16, 2024(2024-04-16) (aged 87)
Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
(m. 1959)
Children4, including Gwen
EducationUniversity of Florida (BA)
Harvard University (JD)
Signature

Graham has never lost an election. His career started with being a state legislator (Representative 1966-1969, and Senator 1971-1979).

Career

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Early career

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In 1978 he was elected Governor of Florida. His Lt. Governor was Wayne Mixson. Graham was reelected in 1982, when he won 65% over a Republican candidate, Skip Bafalis.

He was a popular Governor. He did much to protect the environment. He also oversaw restart of state executions (as first time since 1964), when 16 people were electrocuted. The first of them, John Spenkelink, was the first to die in the electric chair since 1966 in the United States. He was the second to be executed since 1967 (after Gary Gilmore in Utah in January 1977). In 1981, he pushed the Florida Legislature to eliminate motor vehicle inspections, after years of complaints from citizens stuck in their cars for hours in hot summer weather while they waited in line at poorly run State MV inspection stations.

Later career

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Graham was elected to the United States Senate in 1986, defeating sitting Senator Paula Hawkins. He served as Senator from 1985 to 2005, when he retired. He resigned from governorship on January 3, 1985, three days before the swearing-in of the governor-elect, Republican Robert Martinez. For this time Mixson assumed his duties, making him the shortest serving governor in Florida history.

From 2001 to 2003 Graham was a chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Graham voted in 2002 against intervention in Iraq.

Presidential campaign

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In early 2003 he decided to run for President but, after poor results in an opinion polls, he resigned and later supported John Kerry, who won the Democratic nomination. He was regarded as possible Kerry Vice Presidential candidate, but Kerry chose John Edwards.

Graham died on April 16, 2024 in a retirement community in Gainesville, Florida from problems caused by a stroke, aged 87.[1]

Personal life

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He was born in Dade County (now Miami-Dade County). He married Adele Khoury in 1959.

References

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  1. "Bob Graham, former Florida governor and U.S. senator with a common touch, dies at 87". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
Came before:
Reubin Askew
Governor of Florida
1979-1987
Came after:
Wayne Mixson
Came before:
Paula Hawkins
U.S. Senator from Florida
1987-2004
Came after:
Mel Martinez