432:. Despite the fact that Bush and Lee had a frequently contentious relationship, Bush praised Lee for the leadership qualities that he would bring to the office, noting, "I think it's important to have leadership in the executive branch of Tallahassee. The right kind of Republican leadership is very important." During the campaign, Lee and Johnson exchanged attacks over each other's willingness to accept campaign contributions from industries that they would regulate if elected, including the insurance industry. Lee declared, "I have proven time and time again over a decade of being in the Senate that I can stand independent of my contributors on issues that are important to the consumers of Florida," while noting, "Let's just say, in a variety of ways, campaign is taking great liberties with the truth, particularly with his so-called commitment not to take insurance money." Ultimately, Lee won out over his opponents by a wide margin, receiving 57% of the vote to Johnson's 37% and Bauguess' 6%, and advanced to the general election, where he faced
447:, which praised Sink for exceeding the qualifications for the job, while criticizing Lee for failing to meet them. In the final days of the campaign, polling showed that Lee held a 39-38% lead over Sink, which her campaign noted had narrowed from an earlier six point margin. Despite the close campaign, however, Lee ended up losing to Sink, receiving 46% of the vote to her 54%.
369:
primary, and though he placed first with 48% of the vote to
Proctor's 30% and Tompkins's 22%, he did not win a majority, and a runoff election was held. Lee ended up defeating Proctor by a landslide in the runoff election, receiving 63% of the vote to Proctor's 37%. He faced John Dicks, the
462:, who succeeded Lee when he first left the legislature in 2006, declined to seek re-election in 2012, Lee ran to succeed her in the 24th District, which contained most of the territory that he had represented during his previous legislative service. He faced
377:
Lee was re-elected without opposition in 2000. In 2002, following the redrawing of the state's legislative districts, he was moved into the 10th
District, which included most of the territory that he had previously represented, but added an incursion into
519:
On May 29, 2020, Lee announced he would resign from the Senate effective
November 3, 2020 while he considers running for local office. He initially decided to run for Hillsborough County clerk of court, but opted not to run a few days later.
440:
nominee. Sink attacked him for failing to properly address property insurance during his time in the legislature and managed to rack up endorsements from a majority of the newspapers in the state, including the
345:, receiving a degree in business in 1984. Following graduation, he began working for Sabal Homes of Florida, eventually becoming their Vice-President and Director, a position that he currently maintains.
31:
481:. Lee ended up comfortably defeating Burgin, receiving 59% of the vote to her 41% of the vote. Advancing to the general election, Lee faced Elizabeth Belcher, a retired
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After court-ordered redistricting in 2016, Lee's district was renumbered and reconfigured to encompass northeastern
Hillsborough, southeastern
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rather than seek re-election, Lee, who could not seek another term in the legislature due to term limits, ran to succeed him. He faced
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Property
Appraiser Rob Turner, who was "embroiled in a porn scandal" in advertisements that were condemned by the
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Malcolm E. Beard did not seek re-election, Lee ran to succeed him in the 23rd
District, which included parts of
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primary, and a divisive election occurred, with a group allied with Burgin comparing Lee to
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area in the
Florida Senate from 1996 to 2006, and again from 2012 to 2020. He served as
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791:"Tom Lee resigning from Florida Senate; no decision on local office yet"
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816:"Never mind. Tom Lee now says he won't run for Hillsborough clerk"
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nominee, whom he defeated in a landslide with 61% of the vote.
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679:"GOP holds slim lead in most statewide offices, poll shows"
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365:. He faced Mark Proctor and Betty Jo Tompkins in the
650:"CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Impressive qualifications"
421:, and he received endorsements from then-Governor
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734:"For Florida senate, three independent voices"
55:November 16, 2004 – November 21, 2006
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143:November 5, 1996 – November 7, 2006
98:November 6, 2012 – November 3, 2020
844:Florida State Legislature - Senator Tom Lee
539:"Jennings backs Lee for state finance post"
489:nominee. He earned the endorsements of the
29:
595:"CFO rivals trade jabs on insurance ties"
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1075:Republican Party Florida state senators
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281:(born January 21, 1962) is an American
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505:, scoring 54% of the vote to her 46%.
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789:Irwin Taylor, Janelle (2020-05-29).
623:"Why did Tom Lee falter in CFO bid?"
621:Ulferts, Alisa (November 12, 2006).
593:Burnett, Richard (August 29, 2006).
677:Horowitz, Etan (October 21, 2006).
13:
1035:Chief Financial Officer of Florida
782:
705:Tillman, Jodie (August 14, 2012).
567:"Bush backs Lee in financial race"
400:Chief Financial Officer of Florida
303:Chief Financial Officer of Florida
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1070:21st-century American legislators
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348:
1100:21st-century Florida politicians
1085:Presidents of the Florida Senate
390:Chief Financial Officer campaign
999:President of the Florida Senate
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341:in 1982, and then attended the
43:President of the Florida Senate
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565:Kennedy, John (May 18, 2006).
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537:Kennedy, John (June 7, 2006).
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417:and Milton V. Bauguess in the
335:Hillsborough Community College
297:from 2004 to 2006. He was the
289:. He represented parts of the
253:Hillsborough Community College
1:
523:
1090:Politicians from San Antonio
814:Bowen, C.T. (June 8, 2020).
762:"Our picks for state Senate"
451:Return to the Florida Senate
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479:Republican Party of Florida
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1095:University of Tampa alumni
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1016:Party political offices
849:Tom Lee for State Senate
483:Internal Revenue Service
968:from the 20th district
938:from the 24th district
908:from the 10th district
878:from the 23rd district
337:, graduating with his
485:investigator and the
333:in 1969. He attended
628:St. Petersburg Times
464:State Representative
412:State Representative
655:Florida Times-Union
512:, and northwestern
475:Hillsborough County
444:Florida Times-Union
427:Lieutenant Governor
404:Governor of Florida
402:, opted to run for
359:Hillsborough County
343:University of Tampa
262:University of Tampa
16:American politician
984:Political offices
742:. October 19, 2012
658:. October 22, 2006
419:Republican primary
327:San Antonio, Texas
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1044:Succeeded by
1006:Succeeded by
974:Succeeded by
944:Succeeded by
914:Succeeded by
897:Ginny Brown-Waite
884:Succeeded by
770:. October 3, 2012
767:The Tampa Tribune
498:The Tampa Tribune
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1021:Preceded by
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864:Preceded by
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415:Randy J. Johnson
339:associate degree
325:Lee was born in
295:Senate President
285:politician from
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186:Personal details
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887:Lisa Carlton
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460:Ronda Storms
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301:nominee for
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109:Redistricted
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73:Succeeded by
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1065:1962 births
927:Thad Altman
514:Polk County
363:Polk County
207:San Antonio
149:Preceded by
104:Preceded by
61:Preceded by
1059:Categories
1031:Republican
1009:Ken Pruitt
1003:2004–2006
971:2016–2020
941:2012–2016
911:2002–2006
881:1996–2002
800:2020-05-29
524:References
487:Democratic
471:Republican
438:Democratic
372:Democratic
367:Republican
311:Democratic
299:Republican
283:Republican
235:Laurel Lee
225:Republican
197:1962-01-21
78:Ken Pruitt
434:Alex Sink
425:and then-
315:Alex Sink
249:Education
139:In office
94:In office
51:In office
992:Jim King
423:Jeb Bush
313:nominee
241:Children
66:Jim King
825:June 8,
774:May 27,
746:May 27,
718:May 27,
690:May 27,
662:May 27,
634:May 27,
606:May 27,
578:May 27,
550:May 27,
469:in the
331:Florida
321:History
287:Florida
279:Tom Lee
23:Tom Lee
436:, the
398:, the
231:Spouse
394:When
291:Tampa
211:Texas
1040:2006
827:2020
776:2014
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720:2014
692:2014
664:2014
636:2014
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361:and
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191:Born
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