{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = DeeDee Ritchie | image = DeeDee Ritchie.jpg | caption = Ritchie in 1998 | state_house = Florida | district = 3rd | term_start = 1998 | term_end = 2000 | predecessor = Buzz Ritchie | successor = Holly Benson | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|09|22}} | birth_place = Leesville, Louisiana, U.S. | death_date = | party = Democratic | spouse = Buzz Ritchie | alma_mater = Auburn University<br>University of Nevada, Las Vegas | website = }}
'''DeeDee Ritchie''' (born September 22, 1953) is an American politician from Pensacola, Florida.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=DeeDee Ritchie - 1998 - 2000 ( Speaker Thrasher ) |url=https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4154&LegislativeTermId=78 |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.myfloridahouse.gov |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Ritchie was born on September 22, 1953, in Leesville, Louisiana. In 1975 she graduated from Auburn University, and in 1979 she graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a masters in education. During her time in college she was a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She has a career in education and won Florida Teacher of the year award in 1990, and was inducted into the Florida Teaching hall of fame in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Ritchie |url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/ritchie.html |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=politicalgraveyard.com}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> DeeDee was married to congressman Buzz Ritchie for 5 years, but they were separated and on the way to divorce when DeeDee ran for office.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Sonja |date=Feb 27, 1998 |title=DeeDee Ritchie to seek house |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/268573031/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Pensacola News Journal |page=29 |language=en}}</ref>
==Political career== Ritchie's political career started in 1998 when she ran to fill the seat left by her estranged husband Buzz Ritchie retiring.<ref name=":1" /> She ran in the primary with an endorsement from her ex-husband, and would beat John Wyche.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Florida Department of State - Election Results |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=9/1/1998&DATAMODE= |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=results.elections.myflorida.com}}</ref> In the general election she would beat Paul Young by almost 10%.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Florida Department of State - Election Results |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11/3/1998&DATAMODE= |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=results.elections.myflorida.com}}</ref>
In 2000 she would run for the 1st district of the Florida Senate. During the election she was called out by her opponent Durell Peaden for running negative and misleading advertising.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2000-11-03 |title=Enough is Enough Durell Peaden ad |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-enough-is-enough/145695177/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=Pensacola News Journal |pages=28}}</ref> In the general election Ritchie ended up losing to Peaden by over 15%.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Florida Department of State - Election Results |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11/7/2000&DATAMODE= |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=results.elections.myflorida.com}}</ref>
== Electoral history ==
{{Election box begin no change |title=General election for Florida Senate District 1, 2000}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (US) |candidate=Durell Peaden |votes=83982 |percentage=58.0%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (US) |candidate=DeeDee Ritche |votes=60734 |percentage=42.0%}} {{End}}<ref name=":4" />{{Election box begin no change |title=General Election for Florida House of Representatives District 3, 1998}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (US) |candidate=DeeDee Ritche |votes=13590 |percentage= 54.1%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (US) |candidate=Paul Young |votes=11527 |percentage= 45.9%}} {{End}}<ref name=":3" />{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic Primary for Florida House of Representatives District 3, 1998}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (US) |candidate=DeeDee Ritche |votes=3854 |percentage= 52.9%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (US) |candidate= John Wyche |votes=2351 |percentage=47.1%}} {{End}}<ref name=":2" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritchie, DeeDee}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:People from Leesville, Louisiana Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:Auburn University alumni Category:University of Nevada, Las Vegas alumni Category:20th-century members of the Florida Legislature