Buddy MacKay

**Kenneth Hood** "**Buddy**" **MacKay Jr.** (March 22, 1933 – December 31, 2024) was an American politician and diplomat. He served as Governor of Florida after the death of then-Governor Lawton Chiles. He served as Governor for less than a month. He is the last Democrat to serve as Governor of Florida.

## Early life

MacKay was born in Ocala, Florida. His family were citrus farmers. He studied at the University of Florida. MacKay served the United States Air Force. He married Anne Selph in 1960.

## Early career

MacKay was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1968, and to the Florida Senate in 1975. From 1983 to 1989 he served for three terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Controlling the national budget one of his main concerns. In 1988 he received the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate, but lost in a very close race for that office to Connie Mack III.

## Lieutenant Governor of Florida

MacKay won the 1990 Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor on the ticket headed by former Senator Lawton Chiles. They won the election and were re-elected in 1994. MacKay succeeded Chiles as governor after his sudden death in 1998.

## Governor of Florida

In 1998 MacKay sought to succeed Chiles as Governor, easily winning the Democratic nomination with his full support (Chiles and MacKay were known for their friendly relationship). He was defeated by Republican nominee Jeb Bush.

A few months later, he became governor after Chiles' death. MacKay served as governor for 23 days. During his term as governor, MacKay granted six pardons to female prisoners and tried to fix the Everglades. He appointed Peggy Quince for Florida Supreme Court.

In 1999, he was succeeded by Bush.

## Personal life

MacKay lived in Tallahassee with his wife. MacKay had four children.

MacKay died at his home in Ocklawaha, Florida, on the afternoon of December 31, 2024.

## Other websites

- Profile in Notable Name Database (NNDB)

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Buddy MacKay
- **image**: Buddy MacKay portrait.jpg
- **caption**: MacKay as lieutenant governor in 1991
- **office**: United States Special Envoy for the Americas
- **president**: Bill Clinton
- **term start**: March 5, 1999
- **term end**: January 20, 2001
- **predecessor**: Mack McLarty
- **successor**: Otto Reich
- **order1**: 42nd Governor of Florida
- **term start1**: December 12, 1998
- **term end1**: January 5, 1999
- **predecessor1**: Lawton Chiles
- **successor1**: Jeb Bush
- **office2**: 14th Lieutenant Governor of Florida
- **term start2**: January 8, 1991
- **term end2**: December 12, 1998
- **governor2**: Lawton Chiles
- **predecessor2**: Bobby Brantley
- **successor2**: Frank Brogan
- **state3**: Florida
- **term start3**: January 3, 1983
- **term end3**: January 3, 1989
- **predecessor3**: Bill Young (Florida politician), Bill Young
- **successor3**: Cliff Stearns
- **state senate4**: Florida
- **district4**: 6th
- **term start4**: November 5, 1974
- **term end4**: November 4, 1980
- **predecessor4**: Jim Williams (politician), Jim Williams
- **successor4**: George G. Kirkpatrick Jr.
- **office5**: Member of the Florida House of Representatives
- **predecessor5**: Bill Chappell
- **successor5**: Wayne C. McCall
- **term start5**: November 5, 1968
- **term end5**: November 5, 1974
- **constituency5**: 30th district (1968–1972)
32nd district (1972–1974)
- **birth name**: Kenneth Hood MacKay Jr.
- **birth place**: Ocala, Florida, U.S.
- **death place**: Ocklawaha, Florida, U.S.
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **children**: 4
- **education**: University of Florida (Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Science, BS, Bachelor of Laws, LLB)
- **branch**: United States Air Force
- **serviceyears**: 1955–1958
- **rank**: Captain (United States), Captain