Kevin Rader (politician)

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Not to be confused with Kevin Rader (American football).
Kevin Rader
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 29th district
In office
November 8, 2016 – November 3, 2020
Preceded byRedistricted
Succeeded byTina Polsky
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2016
Preceded byRedistricted
Succeeded byJoseph Abruzzo
Constituency81st district
In office
November 4, 2008 – November 2, 2010
Preceded byRichard A. Machek
Succeeded bySteve Perman
Constituency78th district
Personal details
Born (1968-10-06) October 6, 1968 (age 55)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAmy Rader
Children5
Alma materBoston University (BA)
ProfessionInsurance agent

Kevin Rader (born October 6, 1968) is an American politician from Florida. A Democrat, he represented parts of northern Broward and southern Palm Beach Counties in the Florida House from 2008 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2016. He was elected to one term in the Florida Senate, serving from 2016 until he retired in 2020.

Early life and education

Rader was born in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Florida in 1972, where he graduated from Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs in 1986. After high school, he attended Boston University, graduating with his bachelor's degree in 1990.

Career

Florida House of Representatives

In 2000, when incumbent

Sun-Sentinel criticized both candidates, opining that, regardless of the victor, the district would be represented by a "young, inexperienced representative." Despite this, however, the paper endorsed Mack, hoping that Republicans in the legislature would "make sure Mack learns legislative procedure and help the son of the senator become a competent state representative."[1]
Mack ended up defeating Rader by a wide margin, with Rader only receiving 44% of the vote to his opponent's 56%.

Rader experienced more success, however, when State Representative Richard A. Machek was unable to seek another term in 2008, and retired; Rader ran to succeed him in the 78th District, which was based in northern Broward County, western Martin County, eastern Okeechobee County, western Palm Beach County, and central St. Lucie County. In the Democratic primary, Rader faced Steve Perman and Steve Nichol, whom he was narrowly able to defeat, winning 38% of the vote to Perman's 36% and Nichol's 26%. He advanced to the general election, where he was elected to his first term unopposed.

Florida Senate candidacy

When

Politifact rated as a true statement,[3] and of supporting making abortion illegal in all cases, "including rape, incest, even to save a woman's life," which Politifact rated as "mostly true."[4] Benacquisto condemned Rader's attack, revealing that she had been raped while she was in college and that his attacks "really crossed the line," while still maintaining her opposition to abortion.[5]
Benacquisto ultimately defeated Rader, winning 54% of the vote to his 46%.

Return to the Florida House

In 2012, when the state legislative districts were reconfigured, Rader opted to run for a second nonconsecutive term in the 81st District, which contained much of the territory that he had previously represented in Palm Beach County. He faced Steve Perman, his successor as State Representative in the 78th District, in the Democratic primary. During the course of the campaign, the business community split in its support for the candidates, with Rader scoring the endorsement of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Perman gaining the support of the Associated Industries of Florida.[6][7] Rader defeated Perman by a wide margin, winning 57% of the vote to Perman's 43%, and advancing to the general election, where he faced James O'Hara, the Republican nominee.

Throughout the 2013 Legislative Session, Rader served on five committees, Health Quality Subcommittee, Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, State Affairs Committee, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee (Democratic Ranking Member), and the Healthy Families Subcommittee.[8]

Florida Senate

In 2016, Rader ran for the Florida Senate seat vacated by Joseph Abruzzo, who opted to run for Rader's House seat instead of re-election in his reconfigured Senate district. Rader defeated teacher Mindy Koch in the Democratic primary with 58.5% of the vote. He won the general election without opposition.[9]

Rader decided to retire from the Senate in 2020 and opted not to run for reelection.[10]

References

  1. Sun-Sentinel
    . October 24, 2000. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  2. ^ "For Florida State Senate District 27, Democratic primary: Burkert". The Palm Beach Post. July 30, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  3. Politifact
    . Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  4. Politifact
    . Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  5. ^ Schultz, Jason (October 28, 2010). "Saying she was raped, state Senate candidate Benacquisto says rival Rader's attacks 'crossed the line'". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  6. ^ Derby, Kevin (July 20, 2012). "HD 81: Steve Perman and Kevin Rader Battle in Democratic Primary". Sunshine State News. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  7. Sun-Sentinel
    . August 11, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  8. ^ "Kevin Rader - 2012 - 2014 ( Speaker Weatherford )".
  9. ^ Sweeney, Dan (2016-08-30). "Rader, Clemens, Farmer win state Senate primary races". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  10. ^ Rader, Kevin (June 29, 2020). "Kevin Rader retiring: It was never about me, it was all about you". WTHR.

External links

Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by
Richard A. Machek
 Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 78th district
2008–2010 		Succeeded by
Steve Perman
Preceded by Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 81st district
2012–2016 		Succeeded by
Florida Senate
Preceded by Member of the Florida Senate
from the 29th district
2016–2020 		Succeeded by
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