Keith Perry (politician)
| Keith Perry | |
|---|---|
| File:State Representative Keith Perry.jpg | |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 21st district |
|
| Assumed office November 20, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Cretul |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 22nd district |
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| In office November 16, 2010 – November 20, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Cretul |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 3, 1958 Tallahassee, Florida |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Amy S. Cekander |
| Children | Alexis, Amanda |
| Alma mater | Buchholz High School |
| Profession | Roofing contractor |
W. Keith Perry (born December 3, 1958) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 21st District, which includes Dixie County, Gilchrist County, and western Alachua County, since 2012, previously representing the 22nd District from 2010 to 2012.
History
Perry was born in Tallahassee and attended Buchholz High School in Gainesville, and after graduating, started Perry Roofing Contractors, which became a successful roofing company in Florida. He also founded the House of Hope, a Christian-affiliated rehabilitation center for recently released prisoners.
Florida House of Representatives
In 2010, when incumbent Republican State Representative Larry Cretul, the Speaker of the House, could not seek re-election due to term limits, Perry ran to succeed him in the 22nd District, which included southern Alachua County, eastern Levy County, and western Marion County. In the Republican primary, he defeated Remzey Samarrai and John Patrick Deakins, winning 44% of the vote. He encountered Democratic nominee Jon Paugh in the general election, and he won election to his first term convincingly, with 61% of the vote.
When Florida House districts were redrawn in 2012, Perry ran for re-election in the 21st District, which constituted vastly different territory than the 22nd District, but included Gainesville, where he lives. He was unopposed in the Republican primary, and in the general election, he faced Andrew Morey, the Democratic nominee. Because Perry had not represented most of the territory in the legislature and the fact that Morey had not run for office before, they "were unfamiliar faces in broad swaths of District 21."[1] In the end, Perry was re-elected with 57% of the vote.
While in the legislature, Perry was the sponsor of legislation that would extend "foster care from age 18 to 21," so as to ensure that foster children who turn 18 but have not obtained their high school diploma are not left entirely on their own.[2]
