"Saves a piece of Florida political history by narrating the personal stories of the state's 'minority trailblazers' from the Civil Rights Movement to the present day."--Richard E. Foglesong, author of Immigrant Prince: Mel Martinez and the American Dream "Captures Florida's ongoing political transition from a 'yellow-dog,' lily-white state to one where diversity is beginning to make an impact on politics."--Doug Lyons, former senior editorial writer, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Florida experienced a population surge during the 1960s that diversified the state and transformed it into a microcosm of the nation, but discrimination remained pervasive. With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, along with later rulings on redistricting and term limits, the opportunity to participate in government became more and more possible for previously silenced voices. Drawing primarily from personal interviews, Susan MacManus recounts the stories of the first minority men and women--both Democrat and Republican--who were elected or appointed to state legislative, executive, and judicial offices and to the U.S. Congress since the 1960s. She reveals what drove these leaders to enter office, how they ran their campaigns, what kinds of discrimination they encountered, what rewards each found during their terms, and what advice they would share with aspiring politicians. In addition to the words of the officeholders themselves, MacManus provides helpful timelines, photos, biographical sketches of each politician, and election results from path-breaking victories. The book also includes comprehensive rosters of minority individuals who have held state offices and those who have gone on to represent Florida in the federal government. Full of inspiring stories and informative statistics, Florida's Minority Trailblazers is an in-depth rendering of personal struggles--guided by opportunity, ambition, and idealism--that have made Florida the vibrant, diverse state it is today. Susan A. MacManus is Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Government and International Affairs at the University of South Florida and the coauthor of Politics in Florida and Politics in States and Communities. A volume in the series Florida Government and Politics, edited by David R. Colburn and Susan A. MacManus

"[A] careful, nuanced approach in examining the effects of a hurricane on a region’s electoral politics at all levels of government, including localities sometimes neglected by American political science but central to disaster politics."--Political Science Quarterly "Twigg has thoroughly researched. . . . [and] assembled an impressive array of facts by pouring through scholarly documents, books, and back issues of magazines."--Florida Historical Quarterly "A rigorous study of disaster's impact on elected local and state political officials, on their electoral fortunes or misfortunes, and on the local political fabric of impacted jurisdictions."--Richard T. Sylves, George Washington University "A significant contribution to the field of disaster studies."--Naim Kapucu, University of Central Florida From earthquakes to tornados, elected officials' responses to natural disasters can leave an indelible mark on their political careers. In the midst of the 1992 primary season, Hurricane Andrew overwhelmed South Florida, requiring local, state, and federal emergency responses. The work of many politicians in the storm's immediate aftermath led to a curious "incumbency advantage" in the general election a few weeks later, raising the question of just how much the disaster provided opportunities to effectively "campaign without campaigning." David Twigg uses newspaper stories, scholarly articles, and first person interviews to explore the impact of Hurricane Andrew on local and state political incumbents, revealing how elected officials adjusted their strategies and activities in the wake of the disaster. Not only did Andrew give them a legitimate and necessary opportunity to enhance their constituency service and associate themselves with the flow of external assistance, but it also allowed them to achieve significant personal visibility and media coverage while appearing to be non-political or above "normal" politics. This engrossing case study clearly demonstrates why natural disasters often privilege incumbents. Twigg not only sifts through the post-Andrew election results in Florida, but he also points out the possible effects of other past (and future) disaster events on political campaigns in this fascinating and prescient book.

In 1992, Florida voters approved an amendment to the state’s Constitution creating eight-year term limits for legislators—making Florida the second-largest state, after California, to implement such a law. Eight years later, sixty-eight term-limited senators and representatives were forced to retire, and the state saw the highest number of freshman legislators since the first legislative session in 1845. Proponents view term limits as part of a battle against the rising political class and argue that limits will foster a more honest and creative body with ideal “citizen” legislators. However, in this comprehensive twenty-year study, the first of its kind to examine the effects of term limits in Florida, Kathryn DePalo shows nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, these limits created a more powerful governor, legislative staffers, and lobbyists. Because incumbency is now certain, leadership races—especially for Speaker—are sometimes completed before members have even cast a single vote. Furthermore, legislators rarely leave public office; they simply return to local offices, where they continue to exert influence. The Failure of Term Limits in Florida is a tour de force examination of the unintended and surprising consequences of the new incumbency advantage in the Sunshine State.

Against the backdrop of the Tea Party–dominated GOP, former Florida governor Jeb Bush may appear comparatively moderate, but his record tells a different story. In Conservative Hurricane, Matthew Corrigan probes beyond the mild veneer, the sound bites, and the photo ops to examine the real evidence of Bush’s political leanings—his policies, politics, and legacy as the state’s most powerful governor. After remaking himself from a strident ideologue into a restrained conservative policy wonk, Bush became Florida’s first two-term Republican governor. The small-government conservative—who in his second inaugural address dreamed of an idyllic Tallahassee free of government employees—was unstoppable. He presided over the largest accumulation of executive branch authority in the state’s history and advanced a multitude of social and economic reforms, the effects of which are still felt in the Sunshine State today. It was the beginning of a new kind of conservative activism, one that has only gained strength in the years since Bush left office. From the culture wars to the management of state government, Corrigan examines the governor’s indelible mark on Florida. He demonstrates how the issues most closely associated with Bush’s leadership, including education reform, end-of-life decisions, and gun rights, would guide Republican governors in other states as they rode the rising tide of conservative populism. For anyone curious about a potential Jeb Bush presidency, this book is required reading.

A political biography of Kenneth "Buddy" MacKay who served as a Florida legislator, member of Congress, and lieutenant governor to the late Lawton Chiles.

Insights into modern American politics and society from two of Florida’s most influential public figures Writing for the Public Good presents a selection of over 100 important opinion pieces from David R. Colburn (1942‒2019) and Senator Bob Graham, two of the most influential public figures in contemporary Florida. Spanning 30 years and addressing a wide variety of topics that continue to be relevant today, these essays show the key role of Florida in modern American life and politics and illustrate the power of civic engagement in tackling issues facing the nation. Exemplifying public writing that connects with and informs readers everywhere, these pieces appeared as op-eds in outlets including the Miami Herald, the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Politico, and Time. With style, intelligence, and thoughtfulness, Colburn and Graham examine subjects including the economy, race relations, public education, the environment, national intelligence, and international affairs. They look to history to give context to the social problems of today, and they point forward to constructive solutions that center on the role of citizen activism. Together, these essays chart the history of modern Florida, reflecting the state’s rise to a Sunbelt powerhouse that is often at the center of national conversations. Colburn and Graham challenge readers to consider and discuss different perspectives on current issues and, above all, to respond. Readers will come away with renewed hope that their actions can make a difference to improve society and will be inspired to work for a better tomorrow. A volume in the series Government and Politics in the South, edited by Sharon D. Wright Austin and Angela K. Lewis-Maddox

The verdicts have made headlines, but little is known about the inner workings of the court in which they were delivered. In Fifty Years of Justice, James Denham presents the fascinating history of the U.S. Middle District Court of Florida from its founding in 1962 to the present. Readers will discover the intricacies of rulings, the criminal defendants and civil litigants, and the dedicated officials—the unsung heroes—who keep the justice system running day to day. From desegregation to discrimination, espionage to the environment, trafficking to terrorism, and a host of cases in between, litigation in these courtrooms has shaped and shaken both state and nation.