Buddy MacKay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buddy MacKay
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Official portrait, 1991
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| United States Special Envoy for the Americas | |
| In office March 5, 1999 – January 20, 2001 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Mack McLarty |
| Succeeded by | Otto Reich |
| 42nd Governor of Florida | |
| In office December 12, 1998 – January 5, 1999 |
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| Lieutenant | Vacant |
| Preceded by | Lawton Chiles |
| Succeeded by | Jeb Bush |
| 14th Lieutenant Governor of Florida | |
| In office January 8, 1991 – December 12, 1998 |
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| Governor | Lawton Chiles |
| Preceded by | Bobby Brantley |
| Succeeded by | Frank Brogan |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 6th district |
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| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Young |
| Succeeded by | Cliff Stearns |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 6th district |
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| In office November 5, 1974 – November 4, 1980 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Williams |
| Succeeded by | George G. Kirkpatrick Jr. |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 5, 1968 – November 5, 1974 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Chappell |
| Succeeded by | Wayne C. McCall |
| Constituency | 30th district (1968–1972) 32nd district (1972–1974) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kenneth Hood MacKay Jr.
March 22, 1933 Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Anne Selph
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of Florida (BS, BA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1955–1958 |
| Rank | Captain |
Kenneth Hood "Buddy" MacKay Jr. (born March 22, 1933) is an American politician and diplomat. He was the 42nd governor of Florida for a short time, from December 12, 1998, to January 5, 1999. He became governor after Lawton Chiles passed away. Buddy MacKay is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming governor, he was the 14th lieutenant governor of Florida from 1991 to 1998. He also worked as a state lawmaker, a United States representative, and a special envoy for the U.S. government.
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Early Life and Education
Buddy MacKay was born on March 22, 1933, in Ocala, Florida. His family grew citrus fruits. After high school, he joined the United States Air Force in the 1950s.
Later, he attended the University of Florida. There, he became part of a special student honor society called Florida Blue Key. He earned a law degree from the university. MacKay was also honored by being inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame. In 1960, he married Anne Selph, and they have four sons.
Political Career Highlights
Buddy MacKay had a long career in public service. He started by serving in the Florida state government.
Serving in the Florida Legislature
In 1968, MacKay was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. This is where state laws are first discussed. In 1974, he moved on to the Florida Senate, which is the other part of the state's lawmaking body.
Working in the U.S. Congress
From 1983 to 1989, MacKay served three terms in the United States House of Representatives. This meant he worked in Washington, D.C., representing Florida's people. In 1988, he ran for the United States Senate but lost in a very close election.
Lieutenant Governor of Florida
In 1990, Buddy MacKay became the running mate for Lawton Chiles. Chiles was a former U.S. Senator. They won the election, with Chiles becoming governor and MacKay becoming lieutenant governor of Florida. They were re-elected in 1994. That election was a very close race against Jeb Bush.
As lieutenant governor, MacKay was very important. He helped lead the Florida Commission on Education, Reform and Accountability. Many people saw him as one of the most powerful lieutenant governors in Florida's history.
MacKay supported the use of the death penalty. However, he suggested that Florida should look at different ways of carrying out executions after a problem with an electric chair in 1997.
Running for Governor
In 1998, Governor Chiles could not run for re-election because of term limits. Buddy MacKay decided to run for governor. He easily won the Democratic nomination. However, he lost the main election to Jeb Bush.
Becoming Governor of Florida
Even though he lost the election, Buddy MacKay became governor. This happened because Governor Lawton Chiles sadly passed away on December 12, 1998. MacKay was in Boston when he heard the news. He quickly returned to Florida.
At 12:30 a.m. on December 13, 1998, 65-year-old MacKay was sworn in. He became Florida's 42nd governor. He served for the remaining 24 days of Chiles' term. MacKay said he felt no joy in taking the job this way. He also mentioned that his short time as governor would not allow him to fix big issues like education or health care.
During his brief time as governor, MacKay made many important decisions. He appointed people to various state boards and offices. He also signed the nomination of Peggy Quince to the Florida Supreme Court. This was an important step for the state's highest court. MacKay's term ended on January 5, 1999, when Jeb Bush became the new governor.
Diplomacy and Later Life
After his time as governor, Buddy MacKay retired from active politics. However, he has remained involved in public life.
President Bill Clinton appointed him as a special envoy for the Americas. In this role, he traveled to 26 countries. He worked on important issues like trade agreements, security, human rights, and environmental policies.
In 2006, he attended a special event called "Day with Florida Governors." This event brought together several former Florida governors. In March 2010, MacKay published his memoir, a book about his political career, called How Florida Happened.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2001
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See also
In Spanish: Buddy MacKay para niños
