Reubin Askew

American politician

Reubin O'Donovan Askew (September 11, 1928 – March 13, 2014) was an American politician, who served as the 37th governor of Florida from 1971 to 1979.

A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 7th U.S.Trade representative from 1979 to 1980 under President Jimmy Carter.

He led on tax reform, civil rights, and financial transparency for public officials, maintaining an outstanding reputation for personal integrity.

Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Askew established a legal practice in Pensacola, Florida, after graduating from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

He served as a military intelligence officer in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.Askew won election to the Florida House of Representatives in 1958 and to the Florida Senate in 1962.

He defeated incumbent Republican governor Claude R.Kirk Jr. in the 1970 gubernatorial election and won re-election in 1974.As governor, Askew presided over the imposition of the state's first corporate tax.

He was one of the first of the "New South" governors and supported school desegregation.Askew is widely thought to have been one of the state's best governors; in 2014 the Tampa Bay Times ranked him the second best governor in Florida history and the John F.

Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University rated him one of the country's top ten governors of the 20th century.

Askew was the keynote speaker at the 1972 Democratic National Convention and declined an offer to serve as George McGovern's running mate in the 1972 presidential election.

Askew served as the United States Trade Representative from 1979 to 1981.He sought the Democratic nomination in the 1984 presidential election but withdrew early in the race.

After leaving public office, Askew taught at the public universities of Florida.

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