1. Leonard L Bembry is an American Democratic politician who served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2008 to 2012.
14 Facts About Leonard Bembry
1. 2.
Leonard Bembry ran for Congress in 2012, but lost in the Democratic primary to Al Lawson.
3.
Leonard Bembry was born in Jasper, Florida on his family's tobacco farm.
4.
Leonard Bembry worked as a page in the Florida Legislature in 1960, and his cousin, Payton Bembry, Jr.
5.
Leonard Bembry attended North Florida Community College, receiving his associates degree, and Florida State University, though he did not graduate.
6.
Leonard Bembry later owned and operated his family tobacco farm, and acquired three other farms in North Florida with his wife, including Pettis Springs Farm in Greenville.
7.
Leonard Bembry participated in the Florida Farm Bureau's County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship program, organized against the construction of a coal-fired energy plant near his farms.
8.
When incumbent Republican state representative Will Kendrick was term-limited in the 10th House District, Leonard Bembry announced a campaign to replace him, running as a conservative Democrat.
9.
Leonard Bembry won the endorsements of unions like the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, the Communication Workers of America, and other trade unions.
10.
In 2010, Leonard Bembry ran for re-election and faced Republican David Feigin, a retired Coast Guard veteran and a pizzeria owner.
11.
When Governor Rick Scott attempted to close down the Jefferson Correctional Institution in Monticello, Leonard Bembry attempted to convince the House budget committee to oppose the effort, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
12.
On November 17,2011, Leonard Bembry announced that he would challenge Republican Congressman Steve Southerland in Florida's 2nd congressional district in 2012 rather than seek a third term in the legislature.
13.
Leonard Bembry began his campaign by criticizing Southerland for not keeping the promises he made in 2010, and by announcing that he would focus on job creation, cutting taxes, protecting seniors, and protecting the region's water resources.
14.
Leonard Bembry faced former state senator Al Lawson, former Bay County Democratic Party chairman Alvin Peters, and Florida Innocence Project chairman Mark Schlakman in the Democratic primary.