Bob Graham

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

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

### Early career

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

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

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.

## Death

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

## Personal life

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

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Bob Graham
- **image**: Bob Graham, official Senate photo portrait, color.jpg
- **office1**: Chair of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Intelligence Committee
- **term start1**: June 6, 2001
- **term end1**: January 3, 2003
- **predecessor1**: Richard Shelby
- **successor1**: Pat Roberts
- **jr/sr**: United States Senator
- **state**: Florida
- **term start**: January 3, 1987
- **term end**: January 3, 2005
- **predecessor**: Paula Hawkins (politician), Paula Hawkins
- **successor**: Mel Martínez
- **order2**: 38th List of governors of Florida, Governor of Florida
- **lieutenant2**: Wayne Mixson
- **term start2**: January 2, 1979
- **term end2**: January 3, 1987
- **predecessor2**: Reubin Askew
- **successor2**: Wayne Mixson
- **state senate3**: Florida
- **district3**: 33rd
- **prior term3**: 48th (1970–1972)
- **term start3**: November 3, 1970
- **term end3**: November 7, 1978
- **predecessor3**: Richard Stone (politician), Richard Stone
- **successor3**: John A. Hill
- **state house4**: Florida
- **district4**: 105th
- **prior term4**: Miami-Dade County, Florida, Dade County, Group 16 (1966–1967)
- **term start4**: November 8, 1966
- **term end4**: November 3, 1970
- **predecessor4**: _District established_
- **successor4**: Sherman Winn
- **birth name**: Daniel Robert Graham
- **birth place**: Coral Gables, Florida, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.
- **death place**: Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **children**: 4, including Gwen Graham, Gwen
- **education**: University of Florida (Bachelor of Arts, BA)
Harvard University (Juris Doctor, JD)
- **signature**: Bobgrahamsign.png