13 Facts About Earl Hutto

Earl Dewitt Hutto was an American politician who served as US Representative from Florida's 1st congressional district.

Earl Hutto served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.

Earl Hutto worked as sports director at WEAR-TV in Pensacola, Florida from 1954 to 1961, WSFA-TV in Montgomery, Alabama from 1961 to 1963, and WJHG-TV in Panama City, Florida, from 1961 to 1973.

Earl Hutto operated an advertising agency from 1973 to 1979.

Earl Hutto was elected in 1978 to the 96th and to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3,1979, to January 3,1995.

Earl Hutto decided not to run as a candidate in 1994 for reelection to the 104th Congress.

Earl Hutto was one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress.

However, Earl Hutto usually skated to reelection for most of his tenure, with Republicans usually fielding nominal challengers the few times they fielded candidates at all.

From 1978 to 1988, Earl Hutto never dropped below 61 percent of the vote, easily winning reelection even in years when Republican presidential candidates carried the 1st in landslides.

Bush carried the 1st by a similar margin to the one Reagan scored four years earlier, Hutto was reelected with 66 percent of the vote.

Earl Hutto voted against the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act in 1986.

Earl Hutto defeated Ketchel in a rematch in 1992, but was held to only 52 percent of the vote.

Earl Hutto opted not to run for reelection in 1994, and was succeeded by Republican Joe Scarborough.