Perry E. Thurston Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perry Thurston
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| Member of the Florida Senate from the 33rd district |
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| In office November 8, 2016 – January 10, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Rosalind Osgood |
| Minority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 20, 2012 – November 18, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Ron Saunders |
| Succeeded by | Mark S. Pafford |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 6, 2006 – November 4, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Chris Smith |
| Succeeded by | Bobby DuBose |
| Constituency | 93rd district (2006–2012) 94th district (2012–2014) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Perry Eugene Thurston Jr.
January 30, 1961 Pompano Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dawn Board |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Morehouse College (BS) University of Miami (JD) |
Perry Eugene Thurston Jr. (born January 30, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician. He served in the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2022. He represented the 33rd district, which covers several cities in Broward County. Before this, he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives for eight years. In his last term in the House, he was the leader for his political party.
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Early Life and Education
Perry Thurston was born in Pompano Beach, Florida. He went to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1982, he earned a degree in finance.
After college, he worked in banking in Florida. Later, he decided to study law. He attended the University of Miami School of Law and graduated in 1987.
Political Career
After law school, Thurston worked as a public defender for four years. This means he helped people who could not afford a lawyer. Later, he started his own law practice.
Serving in the Florida House
In 2006, Thurston ran for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. He wanted to represent the 93rd District. He won the election with a large number of votes. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2010 without anyone running against him.
In 2012, the districts were redrawn. Thurston then represented the 94th District. He won this election easily as well. During his time in the House, he focused on important issues. These included education, helping the economy grow, and improving criminal justice.
Leading the Minority Party
From 2012 to 2014, Thurston was the Minority Leader in the Florida House. This meant he was the main spokesperson for his political party. He played a key role in discussions about health care. He supported a plan to help more Floridians get health insurance.
Running for Attorney General
In 2013, Thurston announced he would run for Attorney General of Florida. This job is like being the state's top lawyer. He said he wanted to focus on health care needs for Floridians. He believed the Attorney General should be "the people's attorney." He did not win this election.
Joining the Florida Senate
In 2016, Thurston ran for a seat in the Florida Senate. He won this election without any opponents. He served in the Senate until 2022.
Moving to Congress
In 2021, Thurston decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress. This meant he had to step down from his role in the Florida Senate. He officially resigned from the Senate in January 2022. He ran in a special election for the 20th congressional district.
