Dixie Sansom

Dixie Newtom Sansom (born December 6, 1948) is a Republican politician from Florida who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 32nd district from 1984 to 1992. She ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1992 to represent Florida's 15th district, although she lost in the Republican primary. She later worked as executive director of the Medical Society of Brevard County, director of communications for the Division of Community Colleges and director of governmental relations and public affairs for the Canaveral Port Authority. She founded The Sansom Group/Dixie Sansom Government Relations Consulting in 2006.

Early life Sansom was born in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1948, the daughter of a newspaper librarian. Her cousin is fellow Florida legislator Ray Sansom. She studied at Pensacola Junior College and the University of West Florida before moving from Pensacola to Brevard County, Florida, in 1969, shortly after her marriage to Jerry Sansom. Her husband spent most of his career as executive director for the Organized Fishermen of Florida. Sansom began her career as a clerk at Creel Elementary School in Melbourne, Florida. She then worked as a reporter for the Miami Herald and the Melbourne Times. She was focused on beach restoration and vocational education. Sansom served as a Republican floor leader. During the primary campaign, she was criticized for her pro-choice position on abortion and Tolley argued that she should not have used a photo of her and fellow state legislator Marilyn Evans-Jones in her campaign, as it implied that Evans-Jones had endorsed her.

After losing the election, Sansom first worked as the executive director of the Medical Society of Brevard County and then as the director of communications for the Division of Community Colleges. She then joined the Canaveral Port Authority as the director of governmental relations and public affairs. In 2006, she founded the consulting firm The Sansom Group/Dixie Sansom Government Relations Consulting.