The governor of Florida is the chief executive of the state, elected by the people of Florida every four years As the highest ranking official in the state, they are responsible for overseeing the executive branch of the government and leading the state. They are also responsible for signing or vetoing bills proposed by the legislature and making appointments to state offices.
One of Florida’s most famous governors is Jeb Bush. Governor Bush served from 1998 to 2007, making him the second-longest serving governor in Florida’s history. During his tenure, Florida’s economy boomed and he is credited with creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. His education reform initiatives, such as the A+ Plan, are also widely praised.
Reubin Askew served as the 37th governor of Florida from 1971-1979. During his term in office he focused on civil rights, justice reform, and environmental protection. He was one of the first governors in the US to lead a statewide desegregation initiative and he was also the first to call for the impeachment of a state Supreme Court justice. His efforts on justice reform were widely recognized, earning him the National African-American Political Caucus’s Distinguished Service Award in 1998.
Lawton Chiles was governor of Florida from 1991 to 1998. He is best remembered for his work in expanding health care access to low-income families through Medicaid and his efforts to protect the environment. He was a strong advocate for improving the quality of Florida’s waterways and helped initiate the Save Our Rivers and Preserve Our Everglades programs. He also gained national recognition when he successfully led the lawsuit against Big Tobacco in 1998.
Bob Graham served as the governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and served in the US Senate from 1987 to 2005. He is widely remembered for his commitment to government reform and his “workdays” in which he would spend a week working in various industries throughout Florida to gain first-hand knowledge about their operations. His economic development and environmental initiatives are also credited with helping Florida’s economy rebound in the 1980s.
The current governor of Florida is Ron DeSantis who took office in 2019. He is the first Republican governor to take office since Jeb Bush and is best known for his efforts to protect Florida’s environment, strengthen education, and to expand Medicaid in the state. He has also taken a strong stance against Big Tech, launching a lawsuit against Google over its online advertising practices.
These five examples demonstrate the range of Florida’s governors and the many ways in which their tenure in office has impacted the state. From Jeb Bush’s economic and education reforms, to Reubin Askew’s civil rights and justice reform initiatives, each of these governors has had a lasting impact on Florida. Similarly, Lawton Chiles’s health care access and environmental initiatives, Bob Graham’s government reform efforts, and Ron DeSantis’s stance against Big Tech are all examples of the impact these governors have had and continue to have on the state of Florida.