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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Contact
Sarah Bascom, sarah@[Link], 850.294.6636
Kristen Bridges, kristen@[Link], 850.545.1917
John Thrasher Wins Republican Primary in Florida Senate District 6
St. Augustine, Fla. State Senator John Thrasher tonight won the Republican Primary in his bid
for re-election to Florida Senate District 6. Florida Senate District 6 includes all of St. Johns,
Flagler and Putnam Counties, as well as Northern Volusia County.
I thank each and every one of you for your continued support and activism for our re-election
campaign for Florida Senate District 6, said Senator Thrasher. Tonights win echoes that our
local Republicans share the same priorities of continuing to reduce government waste and
spending, improving our education system and growing our job base in Northeast Florida.
As we now look toward November, it is important to me that our campaign continues to hear
from our local communities, so that we can continue to build a brighter future for our loved ones,
so we all have a secure environment where we can live, work and play. Northeast Florida holds
a special place in my heart, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve as your
Senator for Senate District 6, concluded Senator Thrasher.
Prior to being elected to the newly-drawn Florida Senate District 6 seat, Senator Thrasher
represented Florida Senate District 8 from 2009 to 2012. He also served as the Chairman of the
Republican Party of Florida. From 1998 to 2000, Senator Thrasher served as the Speaker of the
Florida House of Representatives, championing historic legislation, such as Three Strikes,
Youre Out, 10-20-Life, A+ Education Plan and the largest tax cut in Florida history.
Senator Thrasher was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1992 and was
subsequently re-elected.
Among his many accolades, Senator Thrasher served as a Florida co-chair for the George W.
Bush for President campaign in 2004 and is a former chairman of the Board of Trustees of
Florida State University. Senator Thrasher was honored by having the FSU medical school
building named after him.
Senator Thrasher began his political career in 1986 with his election to the Clay County School
Board. He served as vice chairman, then chairman, of the board before running for the Florida
JOHN THRASHER FOR FLORIDA SENATE | PAGE 2
House of Representatives. In 1992 he was elected to his first term as a state representative and
was re-elected without opposition in 1994, 1996, and 1998. On November 17, 1998, the House
of Representatives unanimously elected John Thrasher as Speaker of the House for the 1999
through 2000 term.
Senator Thrasher grew up in Jacksonville and obtained his bachelors degree in business from
Florida State University before joining the United States Army. He served first in Germany,
where he received the Army Commendation Medal, and later in Vietnam, where he was awarded
two Bronze Stars. Senator Thrasher attained the rank of captain before his honorable discharge.
He returned to Tallahassee and earned his law degree with honors from the Florida State
University College of Law. Senator Thrasher was in private law practice in Daytona Beach and
Tallahassee for several years before returning to Jacksonville to serve as general counsel of the
Florida Medical Association, a position he held for 20 years. He served as Of Counsel to the
Jacksonville law firm of Smith Hulsey & Busey from 1996 to 2008. John was a partner of
Southern Strategy Group, a Tallahassee-based governmental relations firm, from January 1, 2001
to May 1, 2009.
Senator Thrasher and his wife Jean currently reside in Florida and have three children and eight
grandchildren.
For more information on John Thrasher for Florida Senate, please visit [Link], follow
@John_Thrasher and like [Link]/electthrasher.
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Political advertisement paid for and approved by John Thrasher, Republican, for State Senate District 6.