Adam Putnam
Adam Putnam | |
---|---|
11th Agriculture Commissioner of Florida | |
Assumed office January 4, 2011 | |
Governor | Rick Scott |
Preceded by | Charles Bronson |
Chairman of the House Republican Conference | |
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009 | |
Leader | John Boehner |
Preceded by | Deborah Pryce |
Succeeded by | Mike Pence |
Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee | |
In office February 1, 2006 – January 3, 2007 | |
Leader | Dennis Hastert |
Preceded by | John Shadegg |
Succeeded by | Thad McCotter |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 12th district | |
In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Charles Canady |
Succeeded by | Dennis Ross |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 63rd district | |
In office 1996–2000 | |
Preceded by | Dean Saunders[1] |
Succeeded by | Dennis Ross |
Personal details | |
Born | Adam Hughes Putnam July 31, 1974 Bartow, Florida, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Melissa Putnam |
Alma mater | University of Florida |
Adam Hughes Putnam (born July 31, 1974) is an American politician who has been the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture since 2011. Previously he was the U.S. Representative for Florida's 12th congressional district from 2001 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life, education and career
Putnam was born in Bartow, Florida, the son of Sarah Elizabeth (née Hughes) and William Dudley Putnam II.[2] He graduated from Bartow High School and attended the University of Florida, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in food and resource economics. While at the University of Florida, Putnam was a brother of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000. He served as Chair of the Agriculture Committee.[3]
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
Tenure
On October 10, 2002, Putnam voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.[4]
In February 2006, Putnam became a member of the House leadership, assuming the role of chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth-ranking Republican leadership position in the House. In November 2006, Putnam was elected by his colleagues as House Republican Conference Chairman, the third-highest ranking position.[5] Following House Republican losses in the 2008 general election, he resigned his post as Conference Chairman. In 2010 The Florida Independent reported that Putnam had earmarked $100,000 for an abscission chemical used in citrus harvesting that The Florida Independent said would benefit his family's citrus business.[6]
Putnam described himself as one of Congress's leading supporters of developmental education for children from low-income families and was the author of the Head Start Accountability Bill. [citation needed] Putnam was also the co-chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. He was the youngest member of Congress when he took office in 2001 at age 26, just one year after becoming constitutionally eligible. In 2005, Patrick McHenry, a year younger than Putnam and also a Southern Republican, was elected to Congress. However, McHenry was 29 at his inauguration, meaning of all members of Congress at the time, Putnam had still taken office the earliest in his life. This distinction would hold until Putnam left the House in 2011. [citation needed]
Putnam was a signatory to the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.[7]
Gonzales' ouster
After the numerous calls by Democrats, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Putnam became the top Republican in either house to call for the ouster of former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. "For the good of the nation, I think it is time for fresh leadership at the Department of Justice", Putnam said.[8] This was met with surprise by many Republicans, who were remaining silent on the Gonzales issue. However, Putnam mentioned that there remained severe discontent within the GOP circle over Gonzales and as the Chairman of the House Republican Conference, he thought that it was important to send this message out.[8]
Political campaigns
2010
In February 2009, Putnam declared himself a candidate for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture in the 2010 election and that he would complete his 5th term in Congress.[9] Putnam won the election over Democratic opponent Scott Maddox with 56% of the vote.
Electoral history
Florida's 12th Congressional District Election, 2000 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam | 125,224 | 57.0 |
Democratic | Mike Stedem | 94,395 | 43.0 |
Write-in | Rubye Harrison | 3 | 0.0 |
Write-in | Don Kennedy | 3 | 0.0 |
Florida's 12th Congressional District Election, 2002 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam (inc.) | n/a | 100.0 |
Florida's 12th Congressional District Republican Primary Election, 2004 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam (inc.) | 42,605 | 92.3 |
Republican | Robert Wirengard | 3,546 | 7.7 |
Florida's 12th Congressional District Election, 2004 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam (inc.) | 179,204 | 64.9 |
Democratic | Bob Hagenmaier | 96,965 | 35.1 |
Florida's 12th Congressional District Election, 2006 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam (inc.) | 124,452 | 69.1 |
Independent | Joe Viscusi | 34,976 | 19.4 |
Independent | Ed Bowlin | 20,636 | 11.5 |
Florida's 12th Congressional District Election, 2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam (inc.) | 185,698 | 57.5 |
Democratic | Doug Tudor | 137,465 | 42.5 |
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Election, 2010 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam | 2,908,086 | 55.9 |
Democratic | Scott Maddox | 1,983,277 | 38.1 |
Tea | Ira Chester | 203,598 | 3.9 |
Independent | Thad Hamilton | 103,717 | 2.0 |
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Election, 2014 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Republican | Adam Putnam (inc.) | 3,342,392 | 58.7 |
Democratic | Thaddeus "Thad" Hamilton | 2,356,178 | 41.3 |
Write-in | Jeffrey Obos | 213 | 0.0 |
References
- ^ http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html
- ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/putnam.htm
- ^ http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4127&LegislativeTermId=78
- ^ Vite in favor of invasion of Iraq, govtrack.us; accessed January 22, 2015.
- ^ "Putnam gets No. 3 House GOP leadership post", CNN.com, November 17, 2006.
- ^ Chamlee, Virginia. "Florida representatives receive low marks from taxpayer watchdog group", The Florida Independent, August 23, 2010; retrieved January 22, 2015.
- ^ Current Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers, atr.org; accessed January 22, 2015.
- ^ a b Smith, Donna. "House Republican Leader Says Gonzales Should Go", Reuters, 2007-04-20; retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ^ "Putnam to give up seat". The Politico. Associated Press. 2009-02-01. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- "Opie's All Grown Up Now", US News and World Report, December 3, 2006
- "Opie?" , National Review, July 30, 2007
- 1974 births
- American Episcopalians
- Bartow High School alumni
- Florida Commissioners of Agriculture
- Florida Republicans
- Living people
- Members of the Florida House of Representatives
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida
- People from Bartow, Florida
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- University of Florida alumni
- 21st-century American politicians