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).

 Career 
 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.

References

 Came before:Reubin Askew Governor of Florida1979-1987 Came after:Wayne Mixson

 Came before:Paula Hawkins U.S. Senator from Florida1987-2004 Came after:Mel Martinez

Category:United States senators from Florida
Category:Governors of Florida
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:1936 births
Category:2024 deaths
Category:Deaths from stroke
Category:2004 United States presidential candidates
Category:Members of the Florida Legislature