Betty Reed (May 5, 1941 – May 20, 2022) was a Democratic politician who served as a member of the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...

from 2006 to 2014, representing the 59th District from 2006 to 2012 and the 61st District, which included downtown

Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...

in northern Hillsborough County, from 2012 to 2014.

History

Reed was born in

Pelham, Georgia Pelham is a city in Mitchell County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,507 at the 2020 census, down from 3,898 in 2010. Pelham is well-known for its agriculture, with vast farming of cotton and pecans in the area. History Pelham was i ...

, and moved to the state of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 1957. She attended

National-Louis University National Louis University (NLU) is a private university with its main campus in Chicago, Illinois. NLU enrolls undergraduate and graduate students in more than 60 programs across its four colleges. It has locations throughout the Chicago metropol ...

, where she received a degree in behavioral science. Following graduation, she owned a small sandwich shop in

Ybor City Ybor City ( ) is a historic neighborhood just northeast of downtown Tampa, downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It was founded in the 1880s by Vicente Martinez-Ybor and other cigar manufacturers and populated by thousands of immigrants, mainly ...

during the 1980s. She then started working for

Remington College Remington College is a common name used by all 16 campuses of a group of private colleges throughout the United States. Remington College operates 16 campuses in several US states. Some of the affiliated institutions have been in operation since th ...

, where she was an assistant to the president, the director of financial aid and financial assistance, and then the director of career services. Additionally, she served as the President of the Lucy-Dell Civic Association and the Associate Director of the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

Florida House of Representatives

When incumbent

State Representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

Arthenia Joyner Arthenia Joyner (born February 3, 1943) is an American politician, attorney, and civil rights activist from Florida. She served as a member of the Florida Senate for ten years, representing parts of the Tampa Bay Area from 2006 to 2016. She was ...

opted to run for the

Florida Senate The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...

rather than seek re-election, Reed ran to succeed her in the 59th District, which stretched from

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

Gibsonton Gibsonton, sometimes nicknamed Gibtown, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. U.S. Route 41 runs through the center of the community. The population was 14,234 at the 2010 ce ...

and included much of

in Hillsborough County. In the Democratic primary, she faced Warren Dawson and Hakim Aquil, and she emerged narrowly victorious, winning 47% of the vote and defeating Dawson by a little more than 300 votes. In the general election, she faced Willis "K.C." Bowick, the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

nominee. Reed campaigned on educational reforms, including closing the achievement gap in students of different races, smaller classrooms, and providing new teachers with mentors. Owing to the district's strong partisan lean, Reed defeated Bowick in a landslide, winning 84% of the vote. In 2008, Dawson, whom she defeated in the primary two years prior, challenged her again, but once again, Reed emerged victorious, defeating Dawson with 70% of the vote. She won the general election entirely uncontested, and in 2010, she was re-elected without opposition at all. In 2012, following the reconfiguration of legislative districts, Reed was moved to the 61st District, which included most of the territory that she had previously represented. She was opposed in the Democratic primary by Tatiana Denson, who advocated for "generational change" in the election. Ultimately, Reed easily turned away Denson's challenge, winning the renomination of her party with 81% of the vote. She was unopposed in the general election, and won her final term in the legislature entirely uncontested.

Personal life

Reed died on May 20, 2022, at the age of 81.

References

External links

Florida House of Representatives - Betty Reed
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, Betty 1941 births 2022 deaths Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives National Louis University alumni People from Mitchell County, Georgia