Wayne Mixson
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John Wayne Mixson (June 16, 1922 – July 8, 2020) was an American politician and farmer in Florida who served as the 12th
lieutenant governor of Florida The lieutenant governor of Florida is a statewide elected office in the government of the U.S. state of Florida. According to the Florida Constitution, the lieutenant governor is elected to a four-year term congruent with that of the governor of ...
from 1979 to 1987, and as the 39th
governor of Florida A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
for three days in January 1987. Mixson served in 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 1967 to 1978 prior to being elected as lieutenant governor. He was a lifelong conservative
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
, and though he served in the Florida legislature and as Florida's lieutenant governor as a member of that party, he supported a mix of Democratic and
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 ...
candidates for various state and national offices after retiring from elected office. Mixson was born and raised in
New Brockton, Alabama New Brockton is a town in Coffee County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,428. The community was named for Huey E. Brock, a settler who came to the region in 1871. New Brockton is part of the Enterprise Micropoli ...
. He served in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, then attended college at
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
and the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
before moving to Florida and finishing his degree at the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
in 1947. He became an active member of the
American Farm Bureau Federation The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), also known as Farm Bureau Insurance and Farm Bureau Inc. but more commonly just the Farm Bureau (FB), is a United States-based insurance company and lobbying group that represents the American agri ...
and served in multiple positions in the organization from the county to statewide level both before and after his terms in elected office. Mixson entered politics in 1966, with an unsuccessful run in the Democratic primary election for a seat in 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 ...
. In 1967, he won election to the Florida House of Representatives from Jackson County in the Florida panhandle and served a total of six terms as a state legislator. In 1978, Bob Graham, a state senator from South Florida, tapped Mixson to be his running mate to balance the ticket in his campaign for governor. They won, and Mixson was sworn in as Florida's 12th lieutenant governor in January 1979. The ticket of Graham and Mixson were reelected in 1982. but Graham was prohibited from running for a third term in 1986 due to Florida's term limit law. Instead, Graham ran for and won election to the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
. Mixson considered running for governor to replace Graham in 1986, but ultimately decided to retire from electoral politics and Republican
Bob Martinez Robert Martinez (born December 25, 1934) is an American retired politician who served as the 40th governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991. A member of the Republican Party, Martinez was the first person of Spanish descent to be elected governor o ...
won the office. Graham's term in the U.S. Senate began three days before his term as governor ended, so he resigned effective January 3, 1987 to assume his new duties in Washington. As stipulated in state law, lieutenant governor Wayne Mixson briefly assumed the office of governor, and he held the office for about 72 hours before Martinez was inaugurated on January 6, 1987.


Early life and education

John Wayne Mixson was born on June 16, 1922, in
New Brockton, Alabama New Brockton is a town in Coffee County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,428. The community was named for Huey E. Brock, a settler who came to the region in 1871. New Brockton is part of the Enterprise Micropoli ...
, to Cecil Marion Mixson and Mineola Moseley. Mixson's great-grandfather and great-uncle had both served as members of the
Alabama Legislature The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is one of the few state legislatures in which members of both chambers serv ...
. In 1941, he graduated from high school and moved to Florida. In 1942, Mixon joined the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
. Mixson attended
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
and the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
before graduating from the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
in 1947, with a degree in
business administration Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...
. On December 27, 1947, he married Margie Grace in
Graceville, Florida Graceville is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. It is near the Alabama state line. The population was 2,278 at the 2010 census. A large portion of Graceville's rural acreage is located in Holmes County, Florida, United States. G ...
.


Farm Bureau

During the 1950s he served as president of the Jackson County
Farm Bureau The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), also known as Farm Bureau Insurance and Farm Bureau Inc. but more commonly just the Farm Bureau (FB), is a United States-based insurance company and lobbying group that represents the American agri ...
. Mixson was selected to replace Sandy Johnson as the Florida Farm Bureau's field representative in North Florida and took the position on June 15, 1954. In 1955, he was selected to replace Sandy Johnson as organizational director of the Florida Farm Bureau. From 1958 to 1960, he served as the southern regional director for the national Farm Bureau. In 1960, he became the director of industry relations and commodity activities for the Florida Farm Bureau. In 1961, Mixson resigned from his position within the Florida Farm Bureau to manage his farm and considered running in the 9th congressional district during the 1962 elections. In 1963, he was selected to serve on the board of directors of the Jackson County Farm Bureau and was reelected in 1964, and 1966. In 1965, E. H. Finlayson, president of the Florida Farm Bureau, announced that he would not seek reelection, and Mixson ran to succeed him, but later withdrew. Art Karst was selected to replace Finlayson while Mixson was selected to serve as vice president. During the 1970s Mixson would serve as the only full-time farmer on the Agriculture committee in the Florida House of Representatives or as the only full-time farmer in the state House. In 1977, he had a net worth of $256,200, assets worth $1,051,400, with $564,900 coming from his 1,883 acres of farm land and $150,000 from his cattle, and an income of $298,592, with a majority coming from cattle, peanuts, and grain sales.


Career

During the 1950s Mixson supported Republican presidential nominee
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
. During the 1964 presidential election he supported Republican nominees
Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...
and
William E. Miller William Edward Miller (March 22, 1914 – June 24, 1983) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from New York as a Republican. During the 1964 presidential election, he was the Republican nominee fo ...
. He also served as a member of the Florida Citizens For Goldwater-Miller committee.


State legislature


Elections

Mixson ran for the Democratic nomination for the state
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
from the 6th district in 1966, but placed third behind Bill Pearce and L. P. Gibson. In 1967, he ran for the Democratic nomination for the state
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
from the 11th district. In the primary he defeated incumbent Representative Coy J. Mitchell and later faced no opposition in the general election. In 1968 and 1970, he won reelection. On June 29, 1972, he announced that he would seek reelection to the House of Representatives. In the Democratic primary he defeated John Grace, a 26 year old veteran of the Vietnam War, and in the general election Mixson faced no opposition. In 1974, he was reelected.


Tenure

During the 1967–1968 session of the House of Representatives Mixson served on the Ad Valorem Taxation, Appropriations, Claims, Public Health and Welfare, and State Institutions committees. During the 1968–1970 session of the House of Representatives he served as the vice chairman of the Agriculture committee and as a member of the Ad Valorem Taxation, and Transportation committees. During the 1970–1972 session of the House of Representatives he served as the vice chairman of Community Affairs committee and as a member of the Agriculture, Appropriations, and Migrant Affairs committees. In 1971, Mixson was selected to serve as a Majority Whip alongside John Clark, Elvin L. Martinez, Roy Hess,
Ed Fortune Edmond Marmaduke Fortune (born November 23, 1932) was an American politician in the state of Florida. Fortune was born in Milton, Florida. He attended Howard College and is a pharmacist. He served in the Florida House of Representatives The ...
, John Forbes, Lew Whitworth, and Harold Featherstone. Each whip was placed in charge of ten of the eighty-one Democratic members of the House. During the 1972 Democratic presidential primaries he supported Senator
Henry M. Jackson Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. representative (1941–1953) and U.S. senator (1953–1983) from the state of Washington. A Cold War liberal and a ...
. In January 1972, Mixson was selected by Speaker Richard Pettigrew to replace
Howell Lancaster Howell Eugene Lancaster (July 31, 1911 – January 5, 1972) was an American politician. He served as a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1949 to 1972. Life and career Lancaster wa ...
as chairman of the Agriculture committee due to Lancaster's death. During the 1973–1975 session of the House of Representatives he served as the chairman of Agriculture committee and as a member of the Rules, and Community Affairs committees. In 1973, an
impeachment Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In ...
trial was held for Lieutenant Governor Thomas Burton Adams Jr. for using public employees for personal financial gain during his service as Secretary of Commerce. On May 17, the House of Representatives voted 61 to 55, with Mixson voting against, in favor of impeaching Adams, but needed a two-thirds majority of 78 to impeach him. After failing to impeach Adams the House of Representatives voted 88 to 26, with Mixson voting in favor, in favor of censuring Adams for using the office for personal gain. During the 1975–1977 session of the House of Representatives he served as the chairman of Agriculture, and General legislation committees and as a member of the Appropriations, Community Affairs, and Rules committees. During the 1977–1979 session of the House of Representatives he served as the chairman of Agriculture, and General legislation committees and as a member of the Appropriations, and Rules committees. On June 2, 1975, the House of Representatives voted 104 to 15, with Mixson voting against, in favor of impeaching state Treasurer
Tom O'Malley Thomas Patrick O'Malley (born December 25, 1960) is a former Major League baseball player born in Orange, New Jersey, and raised in Montoursville, Pennsylvania in the United States. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Balt ...
.


Lieutenant governor


Elections


=1978

= During the 1978 Florida gubernatorial election Mixson was speculated as a possible lieutenant gubernatorial nominee for both Bob Graham and Robert L. Shevin. In January 1978, Shevin listed Mixson as one of his five candidates for the position alongside state Senators Lori Wilson,
Betty Castor Elizabeth Castor (née Bowe; born May 11, 1941) is an American educator and former politician. Castor was elected to the Florida Senate and as Florida Education Commissioner, and she subsequently served as the President of the University of Sou ...
, James Glisson, and state Speaker of the House
T. Terrell Sessums Thomas Terrell Sessums (June 11, 1930 – June 6, 2020) was an American politician from Florida. He served as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 1972 to 1974. Early life Thomas Terrell Sessums was born June 11, 1930, in D ...
. On March 18, Mixson announced that he would be Graham's running mate, but Graham stated on March 19, that a final decision had not been made yet. On March 30, Graham announced that Mixson would serve as his lieutenant governor as Mixson could appeal to rural voters in northern Florida. Following his selection he was endorsed by the Jackson County Floridian, the daily newspaper in
Marianna, Florida Marianna is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Florida, United States, and it is home to Chipola College. The population was 6,102 at the 2010 census. In 2018 the estimated population was 7,091. The official nickname of Marianna is ...
, where Mixson lived, and by Guy Long, president of the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
in Jackson County, who held a press conference to refute rumors of Mixson being a redneck racist. Mixson was accused of stating "You all might think you have the nigger vote sewed up in Jackson County, but the truth is, whoever pays 'em last gets it" at Miami's
Tiger Bay Club Tiger Bay Club is a Florida-based political club that is considered non-partisan or bi-partisan Bipartisanship, sometimes referred to as nonpartisanship, is a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system (especially those of ...
on August 16, by the
Miami Herald The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a List of communities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, city in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the M ...
. Graham and Mixson stated that Mixson did not make that statement. In the Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff Graham and Mixson defeated Shevin and Glisson with 482,535 votes to 418,636 votes. In the general election Graham and Mixson defeated
Jack Eckerd Jack Eckerd (May 16, 1913 – May 19, 2004) was an American businessman and the second generation owner of Eckerd chain of drugstores. Biography Eckerd was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and graduated from Culver Military Academy and the Boeing ...
and Paula Hawkins, the Republican gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial nominees. Sam Mitchell was elected to succeed Mixson in the Florida House of Representatives from the 7th district.


=1982

= In April 1981, Mixson stated that he would seek reelection with Graham in
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
, however, on June 23, he stated that he might not run due to him feeling that he had been cut out of administration decisions as Graham became more reliant on his advisers Garry Smith and Steve Hull. However, after Mixson made the statement Graham held a ninety-minute meeting to discuss Mixson's complaints, and on June 24, Mixson stated that "I think Bob Graham's the greatest governor Florida has ever had, I'm very rewarded to be a part of his team" and that he would still seek reelection. Mixson was the first lieutenant governor of Florida to win reelection to a second term.


Tenure

On January 2, 1979, Mixson was inaugurated as the 12th
Lieutenant Governor of Florida The lieutenant governor of Florida is a statewide elected office in the government of the U.S. state of Florida. According to the Florida Constitution, the lieutenant governor is elected to a four-year term congruent with that of the governor of ...
by Chief Justice Arthur J. England Jr. of the
Supreme Court of Florida The Supreme Court of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. It consists of seven members: the chief justice and six justices. Six members are chosen from six districts around the state to foster geographic diversity, and one ...
. On January 22, Mixson led a 37-member delegation, as Governor Graham was unable, to
Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, nest ...
,
Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
, for the state's fourth trade mission called the "Intercambio Comercial", with the past three being to
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
, the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, and
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, meant to increase trade between Florida and Central and South America. The trade mission was the first overseas trip sponsored by Graham's gubernatorial administration. In 1979, President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
appointed Mixson as special ambassador to
Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
. During the 1980 presidential election Mixson supported President Carter. At the state Democratic convention Mixson was selected to serve as a delegate to the
Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...
in support of Carter alongside Graham, James C. Smith,
Doyle Conner Doyle Edward Conner Sr. (December 17, 1928 – December 16, 2012) was an American politician. He served as Florida Commissioner of Agriculture for 30 years, and also served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. He was born in 1 ...
,
Claude Pepper Claude Denson Pepper (September 8, 1900 – May 30, 1989) was an American politician of the Democratic Party, and a spokesman for left-liberalism and the elderly. He represented Florida in the United States Senate from 1936 to 1951, and the Mia ...
, Hazel Talley Evans, and Phyllis Miller. From February 10 to 16, 1980, Mixson was meant to lead a 35-member delegation, which included Agriculture Commissioner
Doyle Conner Doyle Edward Conner Sr. (December 17, 1928 – December 16, 2012) was an American politician. He served as Florida Commissioner of Agriculture for 30 years, and also served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. He was born in 1 ...
, state House Speaker
J. Hyatt Brown J. Hyatt Brown (born July 12, 1937) is an American billionaire businessman and politician in the state of Florida. Brown was born in Orlando and grew up in Daytona Beach. He attended the University of Florida and works in the insurance industry. ...
, and Commerce Secretary Sidney Levin, during Florida's fifth Intercambio Comercial to
Quito Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley o ...
and
Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...
, Ecuador. However, he was unable to lead the delegation as he had been selected to replace Ronnie Book as the head of Graham's legislative lobbying staff and had to lobby for Graham's 1980 tax reform legislation. In April 1980, Mixson was criticized for his intervening to prevent the suspension of Marianna Circuit Court Clerk Raymond Bruner. The Florida Ethics Commission voted four to one, with Mixson being the only vote against, in favor of recommending the suspension of Bruner for allegations that he had used his position as clerk to sexually harass fourteen employees. Mixson later sent a letter to Graham written by Bruner's lawyers alleging that Bruner was the victim of a political conspiracy. On June 27, Graham signed an executive order to suspend Bruner with the order stating that "these women were subjected to improper sexual advances in actual physical form, including actual physical touching, grabbing, kissing or attempted kissing, pinching, patting, and rubbing, all against their will" and accused Bruner of attempting to cover up the allegations. On April 29, 1980, Alabama Governor
Fob James Forrest Hood "Fob" James Jr. (born September 15, 1934) is an American civil engineer, entrepreneur, football player, and politician. He served as the 48th governor of Alabama, first as a Democrat, 1979–1983, and secondly as a Republican, 1995 ...
proclaimed "Wayne Mixson Day" in honor of Mixson giving an address to the Alabama state legislature on the same day. In 1985, Mixson served as Florida's representative at President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
's
second inaugural address Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on Saturday, March 4, 1865, during Second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, his second inauguration as President of the United States. At a time when victory over secessionists in the American ...
.


Governor

After serving as Florida's governor for the maximum two consecutive terms, Bob Graham was elected to the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
in November 1986. He soon announced that he planned to resign as Florida's governor to assume his new role on January 3, several days before the end of his term. Mixson would therefore become Florida's governor in the interim. Prior to taking the office Mixson received letters asking either for themselves to be appointed as his lieutenant governor-designate or to appoint a black, Hispanic, or a woman as a symbolic gesture. On January 3, Mixson was inaugurated as the 39th
Governor of Florida A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
by Chief Justice
Parker Lee McDonald Parker Lee McDonald (May 23, 1924 – June 24, 2017) was a justice of the Florida Supreme Court. He was a judge from the U.S. state of Florida. McDonald served as a Florida Supreme Court justice from 1979 to 1994, and was chief justice from 1 ...
of the Florida Supreme Court. He was the second lieutenant governor to assume the governorship. During his three-day gubernatorial tenure, Mixson held one cabinet meeting and one press conference, appointed a new Secretary of Commerce, made 105 appointments, and signed over 800 letters. Mixon's brief term as governor ended on January 6, when
Bob Martinez Robert Martinez (born December 25, 1934) is an American retired politician who served as the 40th governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991. A member of the Republican Party, Martinez was the first person of Spanish descent to be elected governor o ...
was inaugurated as the 40th Governor of Florida. Martinez recalled one of the political appointments made by Mixson along with 277 political appointments made by Graham, as 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 ...
had not yet approved the appointments. Mixson stated that "my goal was to be the governor who did the least damage to Florida during his term in office."


Later life

After leaving office Mixson was selected to serve to serve as a member of the First Florida Bank of Tallahassee's board of directors and as a member of the Bankers Insurance Group's board of directors. In April 1987, he wrote a letter criticizing a proposed 5% sales tax on insurance premiums and called for mass protests against it. In May, Mixson was elected to the board of trustees in Tallahassee, Florida. In 1987, Governor Martinez appointed Mixson to serve on the Florida Transportation Commission alongside David Kerr, Kaye Henderson, John Browning, Arthur Hill, Arthur Kennedy, Wayne Reece, and Robert Wilhelm. In 1988, Martinez appointed Mixson to serve as the director of PRIDE, which ran prison industries in Florida. In 1988, Mixson supported
Bill Gunter William Dawson Gunter Jr. (born July 16, 1934) is an American politician from the state of Florida. Early life and education Gunter was born in Jacksonville in 1934. He attended public schools in Live Oak and received his Bachelor of Science in ...
for the Democratic nomination for the Senate election and supported John W. Vogt for the Democratic nomination for insurance commissioner. During the 1994 Senate election he supported incumbent Republican Senator
Connie Mack III Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy III (born October 29, 1940), also known as Connie Mack III, is an American retired Republican politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida from 1983 to 1989 and th ...
. In 1996, Mixson was inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame. Mixson was given an
honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...
from the
Florida Institute of Technology The Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech or FIT) is a private research university in Melbourne, Florida. The university comprises four academic colleges: Engineering & Science, Aeronautics, Psychology & Liberal Arts, and Business. Appr ...
. During the 1994 Florida gubernatorial election Mixson supported incumbent Democratic Governor
Lawton Chiles Lawton Mainor Chiles Jr. (April 3, 1930 – December 12, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 41st governor of Florida from 1991 until his death in 1998. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States ...
against Republican nominee
Jeb Bush John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 43rd governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. Bush, who grew up in Houston, was the second son of former President George H. W. Bush a ...
. However, during the 1998 Florida gubernatorial election he supported Bush against Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay although Mixson still supported Graham for reelection to the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
against Republican nominee
Charlie Crist Charles Joseph Crist Jr. (; born July 24, 1956) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and as the U.S. representative for from 2017 to 2022. Crist has been a member of the Democratic ...
. During the 2000 presidential election Mixson supported Texas Governor
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
's
presidential campaign President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
. During the 2000 Senate election he supported Republican nominee
Bill McCollum Ira William McCollum Jr. (born July 12, 1944) is an American lawyer and Republican Party politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 2001, representing Florida's 5th congressional district, which was l ...
against Democratic nominee
Bill Nelson Clarence William Nelson II (born September 29, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Nelson previously served as a United States Senator from Flor ...
. During the 2004 Democratic presidential primaries Mixson supported and donated to Graham's presidential
campaign Campaign or The Campaign may refer to: Types of campaigns * Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed *Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme * Bl ...
. However, after Graham dropped out of the presidential primary Mixson supported President Bush for reelection in the 2004 presidential election. Mixson was viewed widely as a conservative Democrat. In 2012, he changed his voter registration status to identify as a Republican. In 2014, the Florida State Senate designated Highway 73 out of Marianna Florida to be the Governor Wayne Mixson Highway. Both Governor and Mrs. Mixson were present for the dedication ceremony in September 2014. In 2015, Mixson wrote the
foreword A foreword is a (usually short) piece of writing, sometimes placed at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature. Typically written by someone other than the primary author of the work, it often tells of some interaction between the ...
for the first complete book of the Florida Governorship, ''Florida Governors: Lasting Legacies''. Mixson died on July 8, 2020, in
Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...
, at the age of 98.


Political positions


Abortion

Mixson was in favor of allowing abortions in the cases of rape, incest, deformity, and if the health of the mother was threatened. In 1970, he voted against legislation that would have left the decision of an abortion to the woman and her doctor.


Agriculture

In 1967, Mixson and state Senator Elmer O. Friday introduced a resolution calling for the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
and President
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
to maintain protective tariffs on agricultural imports. The resolution was later approved by the state House of Representatives. In 1969, he introduced legislation that would give sheriffs the ability to declare a state of emergency if overt acts of violence or imminent threat of violence occurs within a county and if the governor has not yet declared a state of emergency. The legislation also gave governing bodies the ability to designate another official with the power to declare a state of emergency.


Civil rights

In 1972, Mixson voted in favor of leaving the phrase "prohibit
forced busing Race-integration busing in the United States (also known simply as busing, Integrated busing or by its critics as forced busing) was the practice of assigning and transporting students to schools within or outside their local school districts in ...
" in a voter referendum on desegregation busing. In 1972, he voted against a referendum on lowering the voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old. In 1973, he opposed the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...
stating that the amendment would take more rights away from women than it would give them. The state House of Representatives voted 64 to 54, with Mixson against, against ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment. Mixson cosponsored legislation created by Charles Papy that would prohibit gender discrimination in employment, banking, and education. In 1975, the state House of Representatives voted 61 to 58, with Mixson voting against, in favor of ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment. Despite personally being against the Equal Rights Amendment he lobbied for its passage while serving as Governor Graham's chief lobbyist.


Crime

In 1967, the state House of Representatives voted 61 to 53, with Mixson against, against legislation that would require a majority of the members of a jury to support the use of capital punishment. Florida law at the time required a majority of the jury to vote to not use capital punishment. In 1971, he voted in favor of legislation that would institute a $5,000 fine for violations of pollution laws. In 1971, he voted in favor of legislation that would
reduce Reduction, reduced, or reduce may refer to: Science and technology Chemistry * Reduction (chemistry), part of a reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction in which atoms have their oxidation state changed. ** Organic redox reaction, a redox react ...
the penalty for possession of marijuana from a felony to a misdemeanor. In 1977, the state House of Representatives voted 72 to 35, with Mixson voting in favor, in favor of legislation that would allow security guards at mental health facilities to use Mace on patients in emergency situations. In 1979, Mixson supported Graham's decision to sign the death warrant permitting the execution of
John Spenkelink John Arthur Spenkelink (March 29, 1949 – May 25, 1979) was an American convicted murderer. He was executed in 1979, the first convicted criminal to be executed in Florida after capital punishment was reinstated in 1976, and the second (after Gar ...
, the first execution carried out after capitol punishment was reinstated, and stated that he and Graham were "strong supporters" of the death penalty when they were members of the state House.


Development

During his tenure in the state legislature Mixson and state Senator Lawton Chiles introduced legislation creating
sinkhole A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...
insurance. Mixson supported the use of
nuclear power Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
and stated that accidents at the
Crystal River Nuclear Plant The Crystal River Nuclear Plant also called the Crystal River 3 Nuclear Power Plant, or simply CR-3, is a closed nuclear power plant located in Crystal River, Florida. The facility is currently being decommissioned and is transitioning to a SA ...
shouldn't deter the development of nuclear facilities.


Employment

In 1972, Mixson voted in favor of
right-to-work legislation In the context of labor law in the United States, the term "right-to-work laws" refers to state laws that prohibit union security agreements between employers and labor unions which require employees who are not union members to contribute to ...
. In 1973, Mixson and Lewis Earle co-wrote right-to-work legislation, which would prohibit the denial of work due to membership or non-membership of a union. He stated that unions would preserve the drudgery and rigors of hand harvesting methods. In 1977, Mixson was one of twelve members of the state House of Representatives that was given a 0% rating by the Florida Education Association-United. During the 1979 oil crisis Mixson opposed the energy saving policy of banning gasoline sales on weekends proposed by President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
as it would cost Florida's economy $100 million and 29,000 jobs. Mixson later called for an increased taxation on gasoline to as the oil crisis reduced gasoline taxation by $100 million.


Gambling

In 1967, Mixson voted against legislation that would have legalized the use of
Bingo Bingo or B-I-N-G-O may refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * Bingo, a game using a printed card of numbers ** Bingo (British version), a game using a printed card of 15 numbers on three lines; most commonly played in the UK and Ireland ** Bi ...
by non-profit organizations. During the 1978 gubernatorial campaign he stated that legalized
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
gambling would reduce tourism to Florida as "families come here to see our beaches, and our natural wonders, but if we create a Las Vegas-type atmosphere, we'll lose them."


Government

In 1967, Mixson opposed a plan that would have reduced the amount of Florida counties from 67 to 50. He and William Inman introduced legislation that would allow for a new city charter to be given to
Chattahoochee, Florida Chattahoochee is a city in Gadsden County, Florida, United States. Its history dates to the Spanish era. The population was 3,652 as of the 2010 census, up from 3,287 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statist ...
. He also introduced legislation that would raise the jurisdiction of small claims courts in Jackson County from cases involving less than $250 to cases involving less than $750. In 1977, the state House of Representatives voted 73 to 31, with Mixson voting against, in favor of a motion to kill a resolution urging the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
to abolish the electoral college and replace it with the
direct election Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are cho ...
of the president using the popular vote.


Electoral history


References


External links


Official Governor's portrait and biography from the State of FloridaBiography from Florida Governor's MansionArticle about Mixson's naval service during World War II (with photo)
, - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Mixson, Wayne 1922 births 2020 deaths 20th-century American politicians United States Navy personnel of World War II Columbia College (New York) alumni Democratic Party governors of Florida Farmers from Florida Florida Democrats Florida Republicans Governors of Florida Lieutenant Governors of Florida Members of the Florida House of Representatives Military personnel from Alabama People from Jackson County, Florida People from New Brockton, Alabama University of Florida alumni