Florida loses a legend: Jim Krog dies at age 60

Jim Krog, the affable lobbyist and Democratic political strategist, died Thursday at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was 60. He is survived by his wife, Louella, and son, Christopher.

Krog made his mark as the campaign manager for former Gov. Lawton Chiles' successful campaigns in 1990 and 1994. He got his start in Tallahassee as a lobbyist, served a stint as Chiles' chief of staff, and then returned to lobbying. But he always remained a close political advisor to both Chiles and the Democratic Party.

Krog was an astute observer of the political process whose sense of humor and sharp political instincts taught him to work from within, not manipulate from the outside. He counseled Chiles during some of the governor's toughest legislative fights, such as the budget deficits and early special sessions. Even Gov. Charlie Crist, on the eve of his first legislative session, invited Krog to the mansion for a beer to seek his advice for handling the legislative process.

"He was very generous with his time,'' Crist recalled Friday. "Really a funny guy. He had a great attitude. Very bright. He will be sorely missed.''

Krog was a native of Tampa and a graduate of the University of South Florida. He was a devoted Democrat who let partisan battles remain on the playing field. As a lobbyist for Big Sugar, he was instrumental in some of the industry's biggest's victories, from legislation bringing about the Everglades clean-up to killing the a penny-a-pound sugar tax in 1996.

Dexter Douglass, who served as Chiles' general counsel, called Krog "a very bright student of behavior and particularly political behavior.

"It’s a great loss,'' Douglass said. "He’s just a marvelous man and he kept himself clean and had jobs that are generally filled by some people that are not.''

Comments

[Carlos J. Gimenez, Jr.]

Jim will be sorely missed. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with him during my stint at Steel Hector & Davis. A decent, good man, who truly enjoyed life, and who provided an insight into the political process I certainly appreciated coming out of law school. My thoughts and prayers are with Jim's friends and family all across the state.

We will miss you Jim!

[Carlos J. Gimenez, Jr.]

Jim will be sorely missed. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with him during my stint at Steel Hector & Davis. A decent, good man, who truly enjoyed life, and who provided an insight into the political process I certainly appreciated coming out of law school. My thoughts and prayers are with Jim's friends and family all across the state.

We will miss you Jim!

[Doug Lashbrook]

First and foremost, my condolences to his family. But this is not news worthy. He was a lobbyist for crying out loud. It's these same people who are buying Washington and corrupting a nation! We don't need them in the political arena.

[Old Man of the Mountain]

Mr. Lashbrook-
The excellent blog is a little inaccurate and very incomplete. Jim started out in Tallahassee on the legislative staff and then worked two years for the Florida Democratic Party. He then worked for Gov. Askew for several years and was instrumental in the passage of landmark environmental and growth management legislation.

He also ran Florida's first initiative campaign that ended with the adoption of Askew's Sunshine Amendment-- the toughest standards of governmental ethics and transparency in the Nation at the time. Two years later, he ran Askew's campaign in opposition to casino gambling in Florida. He also participated in too many other "good government" efforts to list.

His lobbying was always conducted in a way that lobbying SHOULD be in terms of integrity and ethics as opposed to what it is too many times. He left an outstanding legacy in terms of his positive impact on Florida and should be applauded for his efforts instead of written off in ignorance as "...only a lobbyist."

[Anonymous]

Florida should feel a sense of loss. Jim Krog pioneered transparency in the political process and fought hard for his clients with much integrity. He was a man of substance.

Godspeed Jim.

[Kathryn Guerrero]

Yes my brother Jim Krog has been gone for
five months,the sadness is still here and will
be for a while. He was a good big brother and
yes it hurts that he is not with us any more.