Former Florida Gov. Reubin Askew, one of the state's most popular and effective governors, died early Thursday, surrounded by family members at a hospital in Tallahassee. He was 85.
Askew had been admitted to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare last Saturday suffering from aspiration pneumonia, and his condition worsened when he also suffered a stroke.
Askew, a Democrat who served as Florida's 37th governor, from 1971-1979, was a transformational figure in the development of modern Florida. Considered a longshot when he announced his candidacy, the state senator from Pensacola slowly attracted popularity through his pursuit of a fairer tax system and stronger ethics in government and defeated Republican Gov. Claude Kirk in the 1970 general election.
He became the first Florida governor to win successive four-year terms in 1974.
One of Askew's most enduring accomplishments was his successful advocacy of the so-called Sunshine Amendment, a 1976 ethics law that requires most elected officials to disclose their personal finances and prohibits them from waiting two years before they can lobby their former colleagues.
Askew is survived by his wife of 57 years, Donna Lou; two children, Kevin and Angela; and several grandchildren. Details on a memorial service will be forthcoming later Thursday.
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