Bruce Antone

Bruce Antone
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 46th district
Assumed office
November 20, 2012
Preceded by John Legg
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 39th district
In office
November 19, 2002 – November 21, 2006
Preceded by Gary Siplin
Succeeded by Geraldine F. Thompson
Personal details
Born (1960-11-01) November 1, 1960
Mobile, Alabama
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Debra McGowan
Children Kaylyn
Alma mater Tuskegee University (B.S.)
University of Central Florida
Profession Consultant
Religion Methodist

Bruce Antone (born November 1, 1960) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 46th district, which includes parts of Orlando in Orange County, since 2012, previously representing the 39th District from 2002 to 2006.

History

Antone was born in Mobile, Alabama, and attended Tuskegee University, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering in 1983. Following graduation, he started graduate studies in electrical engineering, but moved to the state of Florida in 1984, where he pursued graduate studies in public administration at the University of Central Florida, but did not graduate. Antone worked as a legislative aide to State Senator Buddy Dyer from 1992 to 1999, including serving as his chief of staff. He ran for a seat on the Orange County Commission from the 6th District, but received only 9% of the vote. In 2000, when incumbent State Representative Alzo J. Reddick did not seek re-election, Antone ran to succeed him, facing Gary Siplin, Wardell Sims, Miles Brooks, and David Rucker in the Democratic primary. He earned the endorsement of the Orlando Sentinel, which praised him as the "best equipped" candidate,[1] but ultimately, he lost to Siplin and Sims, who advanced to a runoff election, winning 27% of the vote.

Florida House of Representatives

When Siplin, whom Antone had lost to in 2000, decided to run for the Florida Senate rather than seek re-election, Antone ran to succeed him in the 39th District, which stretched from downtown Orlando to Pine Hills. In the Democratic primary, he faced Tiffany Moore-Russell, Geraldine F. Thompson, and Jon Eason, whom he defeated with 34% of the vote, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Janet Buckles, the Republican nominee. Antone emphasized that, unlike Siplin, he would focus on passing bills into law while serving in the legislature and would not waste his time on "feel-good" efforts.[2] Antone defeated Buckles easily, winning 75% of the vote. In 2004, when he ran for re-election, he was opposed in the primary election by Tiffany Moore-Russell, once again, and Fritz Seide Jackson. Antone expanded his margin of victory from 2002, and won renomination with 52% of the vote to Moore-Russell's 39% and Jackson's 9%. He faced Thomas J. Kelly, the nominee of the British Reformed Sectarian Party, in the general election, whom he handily defeated with 90% of the vote.

Rather than seek re-election in 2006, Antone instead opted to run for a position on the Orange County Commission from the 6th District. He faced Moore-Russell, Juan Lynum, Jackson Marcelin, and Chick Fryar in the primary election, and he placed second to Moore-Russell, with 37% of the vote to her 38%, advancing to the general election. He was endorsed by the Sentinel, which praised his "sensible priorities" of increasing funding to the Lynx bus system, supporting SunRail, and fund after-school programs for children.[3] However, he narrowly lost to Moore-Russell, winning only 47% of the vote to her 53%. He and David Rucker challenged her in 2010 when she sought re-election, but she defeated him in a landslide in the primary election, winning 61% of the vote to his 26% and Rucker's 13%.

When legislative districts were redrawn in 2012, Geraldine F. Thompson opted to run for the Florida Senate rather than seek re-election in the newly created 46th District, so Antone ran to succeed her. He ran on a platform of giving the long-neglected district proper attention "in the form of job-training, education funding and services for the elderly."[4] He emerged successful in the Democratic primary, winning 36% of the vote to Pam Powell's 29%, Sean Bradford's 15%, Rosalind Johnson's 13%, and Jason Henry's 8%. In the general election, Antone faced no opposition and he returned to the legislature uncontested.

References

  1. ↑ "Antone Is Best Of 5". Orlando Sentinel. August 16, 2000. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  2. ↑ Johnson, Pamela J. (October 13, 2002). "Voters' Choice Is Study In Contrasts". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Bruce Antone in District 6". Orlando Sentinel. October 25, 2006. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  4. ↑ Deslatte, Aaron (July 30, 2012). "5 Democratic candidates vie for House District 46 seat". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 17, 2013.

External links

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