Irving Slosberg

Irving Slosberg
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 91st district
Assumed office
November 20, 2012
Preceded by George Moraitis
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 90th district
In office
November 16, 2010 – November 20, 2012
Preceded by Kelly Skidmore
Succeeded by Lori Berman
In office
November 19, 2002 – November 21, 2006
Preceded by Mark Weissman
Succeeded by Kelly Skidmore
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 89th district
In office
November 21, 2000 – November 19, 2002
Preceded by Curt Levine
Succeeded by Mary Brandenburg
Personal details
Born (1947-08-26) August 26, 1947
Chicago, Illinois
Political party Democratic
Residence Boca Raton
Alma mater Roosevelt University (B.S.)
Profession Journalist
Religion Judaism

Irving Slosberg (born August 26, 1947) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 91st District, which stretches from Boynton Beach to Boca Raton in southeastern Palm Beach County, since 2012, previously representing the 89th District from 2000 to 2002 and the 90th District from 2002 to 2006, and again from 2010 to 2012.

History

Slosberg was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Roosevelt University there, where he graduated with a degree in business administration in 1970. After graduating, he started the Slosberg Report from Israel, a journalism program. He moved to the state of Florida in 1979.

Florida House of Representatives

In 2000, Slosberg challenged one-term incumbent State Representative Curt Levine in the Democratic primary in the 89th District, which included parts of Palm Beach County, along with Bobra Bush and Marc Shepard. In the end, Slosberg narrowly edged out Levine, winning 39% of the vote and coming in first over Levine by a mere 38 votes out of over ten thousand cast. However, because no candidate received a majority of the vote, a runoff primary election was held. In another closely fought election, Slosberg defeated Levine, receiving 50.5% of the vote and winning by 82 votes. He was elected in the general election without opposition.

Following the 2000 census, legislative districts were redrawn, and Slosberg ran for a second term in the 90th District, which included most of the territory he previously represented, but added some parts of northern Broward County. He was renominated by his party, and in the general election, faced only Libertarian candidate Susan Lipschutz, whom he defeated in a landslide, winning 84% of the vote. Slosberg was re-elected without opposition in 2004.

When incumbent Democratic State Senator Ron Klein opted to run for Congress against Congressman Clay Shaw in 2006, Slosberg ran in the primary to succeed him rather than seeking re-election to his House seat. However, Slosberg was defeated in the primary by Ted Deutch, who would later go on to win the general election in a landslide.

Slosberg's successor in the House, fellow Democrat Kelly Skidmore, declined to seek a third term in 2010, instead opting to run for the Florida Senate against Republican Ellyn Setnor Bogdanoff, so Slosberg ran to succeed his successor. He won the nomination of the Democratic Party easily, defeating Sheldon Klasfeld. In the general election, he defeated Alison Rampersad, the Republican nominee, winning 64% of the vote to once again return to the legislature.

In 2012, the Florida House districts were redrawn once again, and Slosberg opted to run for re-election in the 91st District, which removed the sections of Broward County in exchange for a deeper incursion into Palm Beach County. He was elected without opposition both in the primary and the general election. He was re-elected to his third consecutive term in the legislature, and sixth overall, in 2014 without opposition.

While in the legislature, Slosberg sponsored legislation that would "restrict drivers of commercial motor vehicles traveling interstate highways from talking or texting on hand-held phones while driving,"[1] and opposed legislation that would expand virtual education programs in Florida public schools, noting, "I don't think this is about embracing technology. I think this is about embracing money. It's not going to benefit our children. It's probably going to benefit for-profit companies and out-of-state schemers."[2]

Voting Machine Controversy

Immediately after the 2000 election in which Slosberg was elected to the Florida State House by 88 votes (4,412 votes for Slosberg versus 4,330 for his opponent) and at the peak of the vote recount during the Bush-Gore United States presidential election in Florida, 2000, Palm Beach Sheriff's Deputies confiscated a Votamatic voting machine from Slosberg.[3] When initially approached by the Supervisor of Elections Office and asked about the voting machine, Slosberg denied having it. On November 11, 2000, police confronted Slosberg about the voting machine which Slosberg then retrieved from his car and delivered to the police.[4] No reason was ever provided for Slosberg having possession of the voting machine, and despite additional allegations of misconduct Democrat Supervisor of Elections Theresa Lepore neither investigated nor pressed charges against Slosberg.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Koff, Rochelle (April 29, 2013). "House bill restricts texting and talkign for truckers traveling interstate". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  2. ↑ McGrory, Kathleen (April 6, 2013). "Virtual learning bills gain momentum in Florida Legislature". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Boca Raton News, Wed Oct 4, 2000".
  4. ↑ "The New York Times, 18 Nov 2000, COUNTING THE VOTE: A MISSING MACHINE; State Representative-Elect Turns Over a Voting Machine".
  5. ↑ "The Telegraph, 17 Nov 2000, Democrat hid voting machine in his car".
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