Paula Dockery

Paula B. Dockery
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 15th district
In office
November 5, 2002 – November 6, 2012
Preceded byBill Posey
Succeeded byKelli Stargel
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 64th district
In office
November 5, 1996 – November 5, 2002
Preceded byJoe Tedder
Succeeded byJohn K. Stargel
Personal details
Born
Paula Louise Bono

(1961-06-06) June 6, 1961 (age 63)
Queens, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic Party (2017–present)
Republican Party (until 2017)
Spouses
  • Mark Fisher
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1985; div. 1988)​
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1989; died 2022)​
Alma materUniversity of Florida
ProfessionInsurance

Paula Dockery (born June 6, 1961) is an independent politician from the U.S. state of Florida. She served as a member of the Florida Senate for ten years, representing parts of Central Florida from 2002 to 2012 as a Republican. Previously, she served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives, representing a Lakeland-based district from 1996 until her election to the Senate. In January 2017, she left the Republican Party and became a Democrat.[1]

Early life

Dockery was born Paula Louise Bono in Queens, New York, on June 6, 1961. Her family moved to Florida in 1968, and she graduated from Coral Springs High School in 1979. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1983. While at UF, she was a member of Student Senate, served on the O'Connell Center Board of Managers, Chaired the Affairs & Ethics Committee, and was a graduate teaching assistant.[2]

In 1985 she married Mark Fisher, an aide to United States Senator Lawton Chiles, a Democrat, and in 1986 the couple moved to Lakeland, Florida. She finished her Master of Arts degree in mass communications during 1987, divorced her first husband in 1988, and decided to become active in Republican politics. She was introduced to and married C.C. (Doc) Dockery, a Lakeland businessman and GOP fundraiser, in November 1989. The family business was citrus and cattle.[2][3]

State legislature

Dockery was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1996, and served three terms. She served as majority whip from 1998 through 2000, and was the primary sponsor of the popular Florida Forever Act.[4]

In 2002, she ran for the Florida Senate, and was elected to a district encompassing northern Polk County and parts of surrounding Osceola, Lake, Sumter, and Hernando Counties. She served as Majority Whip from 2002 until 2004. Dockery chaired the Environmental Protection Committee and the Criminal Justice Committee.[4] She was term limited in 2012 and could not run for re-election.

2010 gubernatorial campaign

Main article: Florida gubernatorial election, 2010

On June 1, 2009, there was a draft campaign to see Senator Dockery run for Governor of Florida. On November 4, 2009, Dockery entered the race for Florida governor, challenging Florida's Attorney General Bill McCollum for the Republican Nomination. Dockery dropped out of the race when it became clear that she would be unable to run a competitive campaign against Rick Scott, who spent nearly $50 million of his own money to secure a bitterly fought Republican primary victory.

After Scott's primary win, Dockery's name was floated as a potential running mate for Scott. On 30 August 2010, Dockery announced that she would not run for lieutenant governor at Scott's side.

Chronicle

Term limits prohibited Dockery from running for senate re-election in 2012, so when she was asked to write a column for the political discourse website Florida Voices to share her insights of Florida politics during her last year as a senator, she agreed.[5]

Honors and awards[3]

Name of organization Award Year
American Cancer Society Florida Legislative Award 2004
American Cancer Society Florida Legislative Award 2007
Florida League of Cities Legislative Appreciation Award 2007
Florida League of Cities Legislator of the Year 1999
Coastal Conservation Association of Florida Legislative Conservation Award 2001
Coastal Conservation Association of Florida Legislative Conservation Award 2005
Coastal Conservation Association of Florida Legislative Conservation Award 2006
Coastal Conservation Association of Florida Legislative Conservation Award 2007
Florida Chamber of Commerce Honor Roll 2006
Florida Chamber of Commerce Honor Roll 2007
Green Horizon Land Trust Blazing Star Award 2007
Sierra Club Florida Chapter Environmental Legislator of the Year 2006
Florida Solar Energy Industries Association Outstanding Dedication in Securing Florida's Energy Future 2006
Florida Chapter of REP America Green Elephant Award 2006
Florida Catholic Conference Defender of Life 2006
Governing Magazine Public Official of the Year 2005
National Audubon Society Florida chapter Teddy Roosevelt Award 2005
National Audubon Society Florida chapter Legislator of the Year 2001
School District of Osceola County, Florida Legislator of the Year Award 2005
Enterprise Florida Legislative Champion Award 2005
Florida Local Environmental Resources Agencies Environmental Leadership Award 2005
Florida Chiropractic Association Legislator of the Year 2005
American Water Works Association, Florida Legislator of the Year 2005
Florida Association of Counties County Champion Award 2001
Florida Association of Counties County Champion Award 2002
Florida Association of Counties FAC County Champion 2005
Florida Chamber of Commerce "A" Honor Roll 2002
Florida Chamber of Commerce "A" Honor Roll 2004
Florida Chamber of Commerce "A" Honor Roll 2005
Florida Ocean Alliance Award of Appreciation 2005
Associated Builders and Contractors Friend of Free Enterprise 2005
Florida Wildlife Federation Conservation Legislator of the Year 2004
Florida Dental Hygiene Association Senator of the Year Award 2004
Florida Ports Council Tugboat Award 2004
South Florida Water Management District Outstanding Leadership to Protect the Water Resources of South Florida 2004
Florida Trucking Association Senate Legislator of the Year 2004
Sierra Club Florida Chapter Certificate of Recognition 2004
The Ounce of Preservation Fund Commitment to Florida's Children 2003
The Nature Conservancy Leadership Award 2000
The Nature Conservancy Forever Florida Leadership Award 2002
The Trust for Public Land Legislative Leadership Award 2001
Central Florida Health Care Community Shero 1998
Florida Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Legislators 1998
Florida Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Legislators 1999
Florida Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Legislators 2000
Florida Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Legislators 2001
Miami Herald Most Powerful Legislators, #5 House Ranking 2001
Florida Parks and Recreation Association Legislator of the Year 1999
Florida Parks and Recreation Association Outstanding Legislator Award 2000
Florida Farm Bureau Legislator of the Year 2000
Florida Cattlemen's Association Legislator of the Year 2000
Florida Forestry Association Legislator of the Year 2000
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest "Paula Dockery Trail" Dedication 2000
Save Our Lakes of Central Florida Outstanding Legislator Award 2000
Florida State Massage Therapy Association Politician of the Year 2000
The Midwives Association of Florida Legislator of the Year 1997
The Midwives Association of Florida Outstanding Legislator of the Year 2000
The Nature Conservancy Florida Chapter Public Service Award 1999
The Theodore Roosevelt Society Teddy Award 1999
Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society Plant Management Award 1999
American Advertising Federation John Cummins Legislative Award 1999
Printing Association of Florida Paul Revere Award 1999
Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Ass'n Outstanding Legislator 1999
University of Virginia, Darden Graduate School of Business Administration Program for Emerging Political Leaders Selectee 1998
American Advertising Federation 4th District Fall on the Sword Award 1998
National Federation of Independent Business Guardian of Small Business 1998
Associated Industries of Florida 100% Voting Record for Business 1998
Christian Coalition of Florida Friend of the Family 1997
Leadership Central Florida Graduate 1996
Leadership Lakeland Graduate 1993
Pi Rho Sigma Honor Society Inducted 1986
Outstanding Young Women of America Inducted 1985

References

  1. ^ "'It's taken a very angry tone': Once a GOP stalwart, Paula Dockery welcomes Biden era".
  2. ^ a b Rufty, Bill (March 26, 2012). "State Senator Dockery going out swinging". North Carolina News Chief. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Senator Paula Dockery". State of Florida, Senate. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Paula Dockery, a bio". Florida Voices. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  5. ^ Dockery, Paula (May 18, 2012). "MacNamara, More Political Consultant Than Public Servant". Florida Voices. Retrieved 21 May 2012.