Bob Martinez
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Robert Martinez is an American retired politician who served as the 40th governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991. A member of the Republican Party, Martinez was the first person of Spanish descent to be elected governor of Florida.
Martinez with Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush in 1983
Martinez gives his inauguration speech on January 6, 1987.
The 1986 Florida gubernatorial election took place alongside the midterm congressional elections. The Democratic Party won many victories across the country. However, in Florida, where Democrats gained the Senate seat from Republicans, they lost the Governorship for just the second time since Reconstruction.
Image: Steve Pajcic
Bob Martinez and Steve Pajcic wish each other luck before their gubernatorial debate