# Betty Reed
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Betty_Reed
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Betty_Reed.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Reed
> Source revision: 1356214112
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|American politician (1941–2022)}}
{{about||the member of the Illinois House of Representatives|Betty Lou Reed|the American Nation Park Service ranger|Betty Reid Soskin}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Betty Reed
| image=Betty Reed.jpg
| state_house=Florida
| state=Florida
| district=61st
| term_start=November 20, 2012
| term_end=November 18, 2014
| preceded=[Will Weatherford](/source/Will_Weatherford)
| succeeded=[Ed Narain](/source/Ed_Narain)
| state_house2=Florida
| state2=Florida
| district2=59th
| term_start2=November 21, 2006
| term_end2=November 20, 2012
| preceded2=[Arthenia Joyner](/source/Arthenia_Joyner)
| succeeded2=[Ross Spano](/source/Ross_Spano)
| birth_date={{birth date|1941|5|5}}
| birth_place=[Pelham, Georgia](/source/Pelham%2C_Georgia), U.S.
| death_date={{death date and age|2022|5|20|1941|5|5}}
| death_place=
| alma_mater=[National-Louis University](/source/National-Louis_University) (B.S.)
| profession=Educator
| party=[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|}}
'''Betty Reed''' (May 5, 1941 – May 20, 2022) was a [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) politician who served as a member of the [Florida House of Representatives](/source/Florida_House_of_Representatives) from 2006 to 2014, representing the 59th District from 2006 to 2012 and the 61st District, which included downtown [Tampa](/source/Tampa%2C_Florida) in northern [Hillsborough County](/source/Hillsborough_County%2C_Florida), from 2012 to 2014.
==History==
Reed was born in [Pelham, Georgia](/source/Pelham%2C_Georgia), and moved to the state of [Florida](/source/Florida) in 1957. She attended [National-Louis University](/source/National-Louis_University), where she received a degree in behavioral science. Following graduation, she owned a small sandwich shop in [Ybor City](/source/Ybor_City) during the 1980s. She then started working for [Remington College](/source/Remington_College), where she was an assistant to the president, the director of financial aid and financial assistance, and then the director of career services. Additionally, she served as the President of the Lucy-Dell Civic Association and the Associate Director of the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
==Florida House of Representatives==
When incumbent [State Representative](/source/Florida_House_of_Representatives) [Arthenia Joyner](/source/Arthenia_Joyner) opted to run for the [Florida Senate](/source/Florida_Senate) rather than seek re-election, Reed ran to succeed her in the 59th District, which stretched from [University](/source/University%2C_Hillsborough_County%2C_Florida) to [Gibsonton](/source/Gibsonton%2C_Florida) and included much of [Tampa](/source/Tampa%2C_Florida) in [Hillsborough County](/source/Hillsborough_County%2C_Florida). In the [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) primary, she faced Warren Dawson and Hakim Aquil, and she emerged narrowly victorious, winning 47% of the vote and defeating Dawson by a little more than 300 votes. In the general election, she faced Willis "K.C." Bowick, the [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) nominee. Reed campaigned on educational reforms, including closing the achievement gap in students of different races, smaller classrooms, and providing new teachers with mentors.[{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/25/news_pf/Knowyourcandidates/Backgrounds__outlooks.shtml|title=Backgrounds, outlooks differ|date=October 25, 2006|accessdate=December 10, 2013|work=St. Petersburg Times|first=Justin|last=Georgia}}] Owing to the district's strong partisan lean, Reed defeated Bowick in a landslide, winning 84% of the vote. In 2008, Dawson, whom she defeated in the primary two years prior, challenged her again, but once again, Reed emerged victorious, defeating Dawson with 70% of the vote. She won the general election entirely uncontested, and in 2010, she was re-elected without opposition at all.
In 2012, following the reconfiguration of legislative districts, Reed was moved to the 61st District, which included most of the territory that she had previously represented. She was opposed in the [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) primary by Tatiana Denson, who advocated for "generational change" in the election.[{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/state-house-incumbent-betty-reed-wins-final-term/1245904|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817115336/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/state-house-incumbent-betty-reed-wins-final-term/1245904|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 17, 2012|title=State House incumbent Betty Reed wins final term|date=August 14, 2012|accessdate=December 10, 2013|work=[Tampa Bay Times](/source/Tampa_Bay_Times)|first=Caitlin|last=Johnston}}] Ultimately, Reed easily turned away Denson's challenge, winning the renomination of her party with 81% of the vote. She was unopposed in the general election, and won her final term in the legislature entirely uncontested.
==Personal life==
Reed died on May 20, 2022, at the age of 81.[{{cite web |title=Rep. Betty Reed |url=https://www.raywilliamsfuneralhome.com/obituary/RepBetty-Reed |website=Ray Williams Funeral Home |access-date=23 June 2022}}]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4398 Florida House of Representatives - Betty Reed]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, Betty}}
Category:1941 births
Category:2022 deaths
Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
Category:National Louis University alumni
Category:People from Mitchell County, Georgia
Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature
Category:21st-century American women politicians
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Betty Reed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Reed) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Reed?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.