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John Thrasher (Florida politician)

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John Thrasher
Thrasher in 2009
15th President of Florida State University
In office
November 10, 2014 – August 15, 2021
Preceded byEric J. Barron
Succeeded byRichard McCullough
Member of the Florida Senate
In office
October 7, 2009 – November 7, 2014
Preceded byJim King
Succeeded byTravis Hutson
Constituency8th district (2009–2012)
6th district (2012–2014)
Chair of the Republican Party of Florida
In office
February 2010 – January 2011
Preceded byJim Greer
Succeeded byDavid Bitner
90th Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
November 17, 1998 – November 21, 2000
Preceded byDaniel Webster
Succeeded byTom Feeney
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 19th district
In office
1992–2000
Preceded byJoseph "Joe" Arnall
Succeeded byDick Kravitz
Personal details
Born(1943-12-18)December 18, 1943
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedMay 30, 2025(2025-05-30) (aged 81)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJean Thrasher
Children3
Alma materFlorida State University (BS, JD)
Profession
  • Politician
  • attorney
  • businessman
  • lobbyist
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1966–1970
RankCaptain
Battles/warsVietnam War
Awards

John E. Thrasher (December 18, 1943 – May 30, 2025) was an American politician and state legislator in Florida. He was a businessman, lawyer, and lobbyist who served as the 15th president of Florida State University.[2] He was approved by the Florida Board of Governors on November 6, 2014, and took office on November 10, 2014.[3] On September 11, 2020, Thrasher and the university board of trustees announced his retirement in a joint statement. In May 2021, Richard McCullough was chosen by Florida State University's board of trustees to succeed Thrasher.[4][5][6][7]

Early life and education

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John Thrasher was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on December 18, 1943.[8] He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and earned his bachelor's degree in business from Florida State University in 1965. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. After college, he joined the United States Army, serving first in Germany, where he received the Commendation Medal, and later in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars. Thrasher attained the rank of captain before his honorable discharge in 1970. He returned to Tallahassee and earned a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the Florida State University College of Law in 1972.[2]

Political career

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Thrasher with Mitt Romney in 2011

Thrasher began his political career in 1986 with his election to the Clay County School Board.[9] He served as vice chairman, then chairman of the board before running for the Florida House of Representatives. He was elected in 1992 and was re-elected without opposition in 1994, 1996 and 1998.[10][11] In 2009, he was elected to the Florida Senate in a special election to represent the 8th District, which included parts of the counties of Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns and Volusia.[12] After redistricting in 2012, he represented the 6th District which included all of the counties of St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, as well as parts of Volusia County.[13]

Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives

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On November 17, 1998, Thrasher was unanimously elected as Speaker of the House for the 1999 through 2000 term, which passed legislation including "Three Strikes, You're Out", "10-20-Life", "A+ Education Plan", and the largest tax cut in Florida history. Thrasher was cited on two separate occasions for violating Florida state ethics laws during and following his terms as a state representative. He was fined for both violations.[14]

Political campaigns

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On September 15, 2009, Thrasher won the special Republican Primary election to succeed the late Senator Jim King.[15][16] Thrasher defeated Ponte Vedra political activist Dan Quiggle, Jacksonville City Councilman Art Graham and former House Member Stan Jordan by garnering 39% or 13,247 votes in a four-way race.[17] Thrasher later claimed official victory after the general election on October 6, 2009.

In 2010, Thrasher defeated Charles Perniciaro in the Republican Primary by a vote of 61.8% to 38.2% and later Democrat Deborah Gianoulis, a retired television anchor, by a vote of 60.01% to 39.93% in the general election on November 2, 2010.[18]

Florida Senate

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While in the Florida Senate, Thrasher served as the chairman of the Rules Committee and the vice-chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations. Additionally, he served on the Budget, Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations, Community Affairs, Judiciary, Reapportionment, Regulated Industries, and Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections.[19]

Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida

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Within weeks of the resignation of disgraced chairman Jim Greer, Thrasher was recruited to be the next chair. With the backing of his longtime ally, former governor Jeb Bush, he won easily his election to become the next chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and promised to improve transparency, communications and relationships with party activists, and to raise $1 million in six weeks. However he was criticized for signing a secret severance agreement for Jim Greer, who subsequently went to prison.[20]

Under Thrasher's leadership, the party raised $54.7 million, easily topping the $50.8 million raised during the three Greer years and helped deliver a slew of victories at the ballot box.[21]

Under his tenure, the party swept the Florida Cabinet races, picked up four U.S. House seats, won a U.S. Senate race and delivered a two-thirds majority in the Legislature. It also survived a nasty gubernatorial primary and won a tight victory in the general election.[22]

President of Florida State University

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On April 2, 2014, Eric J. Barron assumed the presidency of Pennsylvania State University after serving as Florida State University's president for four years. He was succeeded by the university's provost, Garnett S. Stokes. In September 2014, Thrasher was appointed by the board of trustees of FSU by a vote of 11–2 to become the institution's 15th president. The appointment was approved by the Florida Board of Governors on November 6, 2014.[3] On March 17, 2015, he was formally confirmed to the position at an investiture ceremony held at the school. Thrasher was an alumnus of FSU.[23]

Death

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Thrasher died in Orlando, Florida, on May 30, 2025, at the age of 81 from cancer.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Representative John Thrasher". Florida House of Representatives. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "FSU – Office of the President". Tallahassee, FL: Florida State University. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  3. ^ a b South Florida Sun-Sentinel (November 6, 2014). "New presidents at Florida State University and the University of Florida approved at Boca Raton meeting – Sun Sentinel". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  4. ^ Prentiss, Anna (May 24, 2021). "Richard McCullough selected next president of Florida State University". Florida State University News.
  5. ^ "'Florida State swagger': Harvard vice provost Richard McCullough to be next FSU president".
  6. ^ "FSU president-elect preparing to lead". May 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "Harvard's Richard McCullough Tapped to Become FSU President". May 25, 2021.
  8. ^ Remembering John Thrasher, President Emeritus
  9. ^ "John Thrasher".
  10. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State House 19 Race − Nov 03, 1992".
  11. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State House 019 Race − Nov 03, 1998".
  12. ^ Larrabee, Brandon (September 15, 2009). "Thrasher wins Florida Senate race to succeed King". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  13. ^ Marbut, Max (May 30, 2025). "'He lived a big life': Lawmaker, former FSU president John Thrasher dies at 81". Jacksonville Daily Record. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  14. ^ The Times-Union. "Thrasher says ethics violation unwitting". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  15. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State Senate 06 Race − Nov 06, 2012".
  16. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State Senate 06 Race − Nov 04, 2014".
  17. ^ "jaxpoliticsonline.com". Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  18. ^ "Thrasher cruises to victory". StAugustine.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  19. ^ "Senators – The Florida Senate". flsenate.gov. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  20. ^ Hunt, David (April 1, 2010). "Contract shows Thrasher, Florida GOP promised former chairman praise, severance package". jacksonville.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  21. ^ Harding, Abel E. (January 14, 2011). "After party hit bottom, Thrasher set out to restore GOP". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  22. ^ "After party hit bottom, Thrasher set out to restore GOP". jacksonville.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  23. ^ "John Thrasher inaugurated as FSU president". jacksonville.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  24. ^ Rosica, Jim (May 30, 2025). "John Thrasher dies; was FSU president, House speaker, Florida GOP titan". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
[edit]
Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by
Joseph "Joe" Arnall
 Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 19th district
1992–2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
1998–2000 		Succeeded by
Florida Senate
Preceded by Member of the Florida Senate
from the 8th district
2009–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Florida Senate
from the 6th district
2012–2014 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Florida Republican Party
2010–2011 		Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by President of Florida State University
2014–2021 		Succeeded by
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