# Paula Dockery

Paula Dockery (born June 6, 1961) is an independent politician from the U.S. state of Florida. She served as a member of the Florida Senate for ten years, representing parts of Central Florida from 2002 to 2012 as a Republican. Previously, she served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives, representing a Lakeland-based district from 1996 until her election to the Senate. In January 2017, she left the Republican Party and became a Democrat.

## Early life

Dockery was born Paula Louise Bono in Queens, New York, on June 6, 1961. Her family moved to Florida in 1968, and she graduated from Coral Springs High School in 1979. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1983. While at UF, she was a member of Student Senate, served on the O'Connell Center Board of Managers, Chaired the Affairs & Ethics Committee, and was a graduate teaching assistant.
In 1985 she married Mark Fisher, an aide to United States Senator Lawton Chiles, a Democrat, and in 1986 the couple moved to Lakeland, Florida. She finished her Master of Arts degree in mass communications during 1987, divorced her first husband in 1988, and decided to become active in Republican politics. She was introduced to and married C.C. (Doc) Dockery, a Lakeland businessman and GOP fundraiser, in November 1989. The family business was citrus and cattle.

## State legislature

Dockery was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1996, and served three terms. She served as majority whip from 1998 through 2000, and was the primary sponsor of the popular Florida Forever Act.
In 2002, she ran for the Florida Senate, and was elected to a district encompassing northern Polk County and parts of surrounding Osceola, Lake, Sumter, and Hernando Counties. She served as Majority Whip from 2002 until 2004. Dockery chaired the Environmental Protection Committee and the Criminal Justice Committee. She was term limited in 2012 and could not run for re-election.

## 2010 gubernatorial campaign

On June 1, 2009, there was a draft campaign to see Senator Dockery run for Governor of Florida. On November 4, 2009, Dockery entered the race for Florida governor, challenging Florida's Attorney General Bill McCollum for the Republican Nomination. Dockery dropped out of the race when it became clear that she would be unable to run a competitive campaign against Rick Scott, who spent nearly $50 million of his own money to secure a bitterly fought Republican primary victory.
After Scott's primary win, Dockery's name was floated as a potential running mate for Scott. On 30 August 2010, Dockery announced that she would not run for lieutenant governor at Scott's side.

## Chronicle

Term limits prohibited Dockery from running for senate re-election in 2012, so when she was asked to write a column for the political discourse website Florida Voices to share her insights of Florida politics during her last year as a senator, she agreed.

## Honors and awards

| Name of organization | Award | Year |
| American Cancer Society Florida | Legislative Award | 2004 |
| American Cancer Society Florida | Legislative Award | 2007 |
| Florida League of Cities | Legislative Appreciation Award | 2007 |
| Florida League of Cities | Legislator of the Year | 1999 |
| Coastal Conservation Association of Florida | Legislative Conservation Award | 2001 |
| Coastal Conservation Association of Florida | Legislative Conservation Award | 2005 |
| Coastal Conservation Association of Florida | Legislative Conservation Award | 2006 |
| Coastal Conservation Association of Florida | Legislative Conservation Award | 2007 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | Honor Roll | 2006 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | Honor Roll | 2007 |
| Green Horizon Land Trust | Blazing Star Award | 2007 |
| Sierra Club Florida Chapter | Environmental Legislator of the Year | 2006 |
| Florida Solar Energy Industries Association | Outstanding Dedication in Securing Florida's Energy Future | 2006 |
| Florida Chapter of REP America | Green Elephant Award | 2006 |
| Florida Catholic Conference | Defender of Life | 2006 |
| Governing Magazine | Public Official of the Year | 2005 |
| National Audubon Society Florida chapter | Teddy Roosevelt Award | 2005 |
| National Audubon Society Florida chapter | Legislator of the Year | 2001 |
| School District of Osceola County, Florida | Legislator of the Year Award | 2005 |
| Enterprise Florida | Legislative Champion Award | 2005 |
| Florida Local Environmental Resources Agencies | Environmental Leadership Award | 2005 |
| Florida Chiropractic Association | Legislator of the Year | 2005 |
| American Water Works Association, Florida | Legislator of the Year | 2005 |
| Florida Association of Counties | County Champion Award | 2001 |
| Florida Association of Counties | County Champion Award | 2002 |
| Florida Association of Counties | FAC County Champion | 2005 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | "A" Honor Roll | 2002 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | "A" Honor Roll | 2004 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | "A" Honor Roll | 2005 |
| Florida Ocean Alliance | Award of Appreciation | 2005 |
| Associated Builders and Contractors | Friend of Free Enterprise | 2005 |
| Florida Wildlife Federation | Conservation Legislator of the Year | 2004 |
| Florida Dental Hygiene Association | Senator of the Year Award | 2004 |
| Florida Ports Council | Tugboat Award | 2004 |
| South Florida Water Management District | Outstanding Leadership to Protect the Water Resources of South Florida | 2004 |
| Florida Trucking Association | Senate Legislator of the Year | 2004 |
| Sierra Club Florida Chapter | Certificate of Recognition | 2004 |
| The Ounce of Preservation Fund | Commitment to Florida's Children | 2003 |
| The Nature Conservancy | Leadership Award | 2000 |
| The Nature Conservancy | Forever Florida Leadership Award | 2002 |
| The Trust for Public Land | Legislative Leadership Award | 2001 |
| Central Florida Health Care | Community Shero | 1998 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | Top 40 Legislators | 1998 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | Top 40 Legislators | 1999 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | Top 40 Legislators | 2000 |
| Florida Chamber of Commerce | Top 40 Legislators | 2001 |
| Miami Herald | Most Powerful Legislators, #5 House Ranking | 2001 |
| Florida Parks and Recreation Association | Legislator of the Year | 1999 |
| Florida Parks and Recreation Association | Outstanding Legislator Award | 2000 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | Legislator of the Year | 2000 |
| Florida Cattlemen's Association | Legislator of the Year | 2000 |
| Florida Forestry Association | Legislator of the Year | 2000 |
| Lake Wales Ridge State Forest | "Paula Dockery Trail" Dedication | 2000 |
| Save Our Lakes of Central Florida | Outstanding Legislator Award | 2000 |
| Florida State Massage Therapy Association | Politician of the Year | 2000 |
| The Midwives Association of Florida | Legislator of the Year | 1997 |
| The Midwives Association of Florida | Outstanding Legislator of the Year | 2000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Florida Chapter | Public Service Award | 1999 |
| The Theodore Roosevelt Society | Teddy Award | 1999 |
| Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society | Plant Management Award | 1999 |
| American Advertising Federation | John Cummins Legislative Award | 1999 |
| Printing Association of Florida | Paul Revere Award | 1999 |
| Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Ass'n | Outstanding Legislator | 1999 |
| University of Virginia, Darden Graduate School of Business Administration | Program for Emerging Political Leaders Selectee | 1998 |
| American Advertising Federation 4th District | Fall on the Sword Award | 1998 |
| National Federation of Independent Business | Guardian of Small Business | 1998 |
| Associated Industries of Florida | 100% Voting Record for Business | 1998 |
| Christian Coalition of Florida | Friend of the Family | 1997 |
| Leadership Central Florida | Graduate | 1996 |
| Leadership Lakeland | Graduate | 1993 |
| Pi Rho Sigma Honor Society | Inducted | 1986 |
| Outstanding Young Women of America | Inducted | 1985 |