Tom Gallagher

For other individuals with the same or similar names go to Thomas Gallagher (disambiguation)

Tom Gallagher
Chief Financial Officer of Florida
In office 2003–2007
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Alex Sink
Personal details
Born	February 3, 1944 (1944-02-03) Wilmington, Delaware
Political party	Republican
Residence	Miami, Florida
Occupation	Insurance Agent
Website	Tom Gallagher Insurance

C. Thomas "Tom" Gallagher III (born February 3, 1944) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida and a member of the Republican Party. Gallagher, a three-time candidate for Governor of Florida, holds the distinction of having served more years as an elected state official than any other individual in Florida history.

Early life and family

Gallagher was raised in Delaware where he participated on the high school swim team. In 1961, he entered the University of Miami with a partial athletic scholarship. After graduating, Gallagher enlisted in the United States Army with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. Gallagher was honorably discharged and returned to Miami to start a business career.

Gallagher married his second wife, Laura Wilson, in 1998. Wilson comes from a sixth-generation Florida family and is chairman and CEO of the North Florida Ladies Prayer Brunch. The Gallaghers have a son, Charlie, born in 2000. Gallagher and his second wife became divorced in 2011.

Political career

Gallagher began his political career when he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1974, where he served until 1987. In 1984, he proposed a 10-year freeze on state taxes and spending and served for some time as Republican Whip. He gave up his seat in the House to enter the Republican primary for Governor of Florida in 1986. He came in third to Tampa Mayor Bob Martinez and former Congressman Louis Frey, Jr., but after Martinez won the runoff and general elections, Gallagher was appointed Secretary of the Department of Professional Regulation which he took office as in 1987. In 1988, he won a special election for the office of Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal of Florida to fill the last two years of the term of Bill Gunter who resigned to run for the U.S. Senate. He was later elected to a full four-year-term in 1990.

In 1994, Gallagher announced his second run for Governor of Florida. In the Republican primary, he faced former state Commerce Secretary (and future Governor) Jeb Bush, state Secretary of State Jim Smith, and state Senate President Ander Crenshaw. Gallagher came third to Bush and Smith; Smith dropped out of the runoff and Bush went on to narrowly lose to incumbent Democratic Governor Lawton Chiles. Out of office for four years, Gallagher was elected Commissioner of Education in 1998. Two years into his term, Gallagher was once again elected Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal in a special election to fill the last two years of the term of Bill Nelson who resigned to run for the U.S. Senate. Following reforms made to the Florida Cabinet, certified to the Florida Constitution in 1998 and enacted in 2003, the offices of Treasurer and Comptroller were merged, forming the Department of Financial Services controlled by the Chief Financial Officer of Florida. Gallagher was elected to the new office in 2003 without opposition.

In 2006, Gallagher made his third run for Governor, facing state Attorney General Charlie Crist in the Republican primary. Crist was the favorite to win the nomination and in the end got double the vote of underdog Gallagher. Crist went on to win the general election and took office in 2007 and Gallagher was succeeded as CFO by Democrat Alex Sink. Afterwards, Gallagher became involved in charitable and business activities including founding and serving as chairman of Tom Gallagher Insurance Agency and serving on the board of advisors of The TRIAM Consulting Group, Inc.

Notes

Preceded by Bill Gunter	Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal of Florida 1989 – 1995	Succeeded by Bill Nelson
Preceded by Frank Brogan	Education Commissioner of Florida 1999 – 2001	Succeeded by Charlie Crist
Preceded by Bill Nelson	Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal of Florida 2001 – 2003	Succeeded by Office Abolished
Preceded by New Office	Chief Financial Officer of Florida 2003 – 2007	Succeeded by Alex Sink