Johnnie Byrd

Johnnie B. Byrd Jr. (born February 8, 1951) is an American politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from District 62 representing Eastern Hillsborough County from 1996 through 2004. He was speaker of the House from 2002 to 2004.

In 2004, Byrd made an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Bob Graham as a Republican candidate. He was fourth in a field of six with 68,982 votes, 5.9 percent of the vote. Mel Martinez won the primary and the general election. Prior public service included a spell as a school board member of the Brewton City School System in Brewton, Alabama.

Personal life

Byrd moved to Florida in 1988, and joined the law firm Trinkle, Redman, Moody, Swanson and Byrd. Byrd is currently the managing partner in Byrd & Barnhill, P.L., in Plant City.

He holds a BS in business administration from Auburn University and a JD from the University of Alabama School of Law.

Byrd is the founder and a member of the board of the Johnnie B. Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Institute at the University of South Florida. He is a past president of the Plant City Chamber of Commerce, a trustee of Evangelical University and Seminary and a member of the Plant City Rotary Club.

In 2012, Byrd ran for Thirteenth Circuit Court Judge, but lost to Mark R. Wolfe. Wolfe received 63.3% of the vote to Byrd's 36.7%.

Electoral history Date Position Status Opponent Result Vote share Top-opponent vote share 1996 State Representative Open-seat Troy Surrency (D) Elected 65.06% 34.94% 1998 State Representative Incumbent Jeff Johnson (D) Re-elected 77.49% 22.52% 2000 State Representative Incumbent John Wayne Clark (D) Re-elected 66.17% 33.83% 2002 State Representative Incumbent Ran unopposed Re-elected 100.00% 0% 2012 Circuit Court Judge Incumbent Mark R. Wolfe Lost 36.7% 63.3%