Representative-Elect
Allen Boyd (D-Fla.)

Born: June 6, 1945, Valdosta, Ga. Education: North Florida Junior College, A.A. 1966; Florida State U., B.S. 1969. Military Service: Army, 1970-71. Occupation: Farmer. Family: Wife, Stephanie; three children. Religion: Methodist. Political Career: Fla. House, 1989-97. Capitol Office: 1237 Longworth Bldg. 20515; 225-5235.

By Congressional Quarterly

Boyd, a former state legislator with a moderate voting record, appears to be about the right fit for this politically marginal district in the state's panhandle.

A farmer by trade, Boyd, who comes from Monticello, northeast of Tallahassee, brings an agribusiness perspective to Washington and is likely to favor fiscally conservative, pro-growth economics.

Throughout his political career, however, Boyd has also been a booster of education, an area he will almost certainly continue to defend as a member of Congress.

For example, Boyd has said he will pursue policies to increase access to student loans for college students. He also favors easing the financial burden on students and their families by changing the tax code to provide targeted tax deductions for college tuition.

Boyd has been close to state and local law enforcement groups and says he will work on the federal level to expand jail space, toughen penalties imposed on violent offenders and steer more resources to public safety programs.

First elected to the state House in 1988, Boyd ascended the leadership ladder quickly, becoming the chamber's majority whip at one point, then serving as chairman of the Governmental Operations Committee before eventually becoming chairman of the Rules and Calendar Committee, the panel that determines the House's legislative agenda.

In Washington, Boyd landed a seat on the National Security Committee, from which he will be able to oversee activities at Tyndall Air Force Base, a major Panama City air defense training facility located in the heart of the district.

As a member of National Security, Boyd will take the slot previously occupied by three-term Florida Democrat Pete Peterson, who held the 2nd District seat before announcing his retirement in 1995.

Florida Democrats, hoping to find a candidate with a centrist profile similar to Peterson's, did not have to look far to find Boyd, whose conservative fiscal tendencies and moderation on social issues made him appealing to Democrats, Republicans and independents. The district's Democratic tradition in House voting has been firm: Peterson easily won all three of his contests, and Democrats maintain a strong lead in voter registration.

Boyd's appeal did not prevent two other well-known Democrats from jumping into the race to challenge him for the Democratic nomination: Anita L. Davis, an African-American county commissioner from Leon County (Tallahassee); and former judge David L. Taunton.

Although Boyd finished first in the three-way primary, his failure to earn a clear majority threw him into a runoff against Davis, who finished a distant second.

In the runoff, Boyd touted his legislative experience and moderate voting record as attributes that made him more qualified for the job than his opponent.

But Davis, who was decidedly outmatched in fundraising, had a difficult time getting her message beyond Tallahassee and into the district's more rural areas. As a result, Boyd easily outpaced Davis to claim the nomination.

In the general election, Boyd faced Republican Bill Sutton, a former bank president who once served as state commerce secretary under GOP Gov. Bob Martinez in the late 1980s.

Sutton's campaign centered around fiscal issues and emphasized his close ties to Tallahassee's business community.

But Boyd's down-home demeanor, high name recognition, and strong support from a coalition of agriculture interests, law enforcement officials, educators and prominent business leaders all across the district proved too much for Sutton to overcome.

In what many expected might be a close race between two moderates, Boyd comfortably defeated Sutton and successfully defended the seat for Democrats.

© 1997, Congressional Quarterly Inc. All rights reserved.

Representative-Elect
Jim Davis (D-Fla.)

Born: Oct. 11, 1957, Tampa, Fla. Education: Washington and Lee U., B.A. 1979; U. of Florida, J.D. 1982. Occupation: Lawyer. Family: Wife, Peggy Bessent Davis; two children. Religion: Episcopal. Political Career: Fla. House, 1988-97, majority leader, 1994-97. Capitol Office: 327 Cannon Bldg. 20515; 225-3376.

By Congressional Quarterly

Davis arrived on Capitol Hill with an impressive resume and sharp political skills.

A lawyer, Davis took just six years to climb the leadership ladder in Florida's state House to become majority leader, the second most powerful Democrat.

Davis, whose allies routinely described him as low-key and hard- working, earned a reputation in Tallahassee for doing his homework and being an effective player behind the scenes.

For example, when a sales tax referendum aimed at raising revenue for local schools failed in 1995, Davis stepped forward with a proposal calling for outside audits of school districts on the basis that similar moves in other states had yielded significant savings.

In another of Davis' efforts to boost education, he successfully pushed a proposal that altered the state's long-controversial funding formula to better fund highly populous urban areas, such as his own, at the expense of less densely populated rural counties.

Davis succeeded veteran Democrat Sam M. Gibbons, who retired after representing the Tampa area for 34 years. Gibbons briefly served as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, but he got bumped to ranking Democrat when the GOP took control of Congress in 1995.

Davis was far from a sure thing when Gibbons surprised many in early 1996 by announcing his departure. The least known of four Democrats who jumped into the race, Davis was given little chance of winning when he entered the contest. Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Warshaw Freedman was the consensus front-runner, followed by a prominent county commissioner and a popular former state senator.

Davis focused on education and crime as the centerpieces of his long-shot campaign. Davis, the only Democrat to use television spots during the primary, put a dent in Freedman's lead by implying she bore some responsibility for the severe injuries of two police officers in a 1995 shooting incident that occurred when she was mayor.

Although Freedman finished first in the primary, she failed to win a majority and was forced INto a runoff. Davis emerged in second place.

In the runoff, Davis played up his endorsements from local teacher, police and firefighters' unions, exposing Freedman's unpopularity with those groups during her tenure as mayor.

Davis pulled a stunning upset over Freedman, cruising to a double-digit victory.

He then turned his attention to Republican nominee Mark Sharpe, who was making his third try for the seat after unsuccessful bids against Gibbons in 1992 and 1994.

Sharpe attempted to paint Davis as a typical tax-and-spend liberal by highlighting Davis' votes in the legislature to increase taxes and fees. Davis effectively countered by pointing out that a majority of Republicans, including a state senator who co-chaired Sharpe's campaign, had also supported the increases.

Davis, who continued to emphasize education and crime, coasted to a victory no one would have dared predict six months earlier.

Davis said his top priority in the 105th Congress would be protecting education programs, especially expanding access to college by boosting funding for student loans.

Another area expected to be high on Davis' agenda is cracking down on crime. He said he would also look for opportunities to make adjustments to the welfare overhaul that became law in 1996.

Davis said he would have supported the welfare legislation had he been in Congress at the time it passed. But Davis vowed to push for reopening the issue in hopes of adding provisions that would provide protections for legal immigrants and children.

Perhaps owing to his expertise in fiscal affairs, Davis landed a seat on the Budget Committee, where he was seen as likely to be a consistent voice in defense of education, crime and entitlement programs.

© 1997, Congressional Quarterly Inc. All rights reserved.