{{short description|American politician}} {{More footnotes needed|date=March 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = James Bush III | image = State Representative James Bush III.jpg | state_house = Florida | district = 109th | term_start = November 6, 2018 | term_end = November 8, 2022 | preceded = Cynthia Stafford | succeeded = Ashley Gantt | term_start1 = November 4, 2008 | term_end1 = November 2, 2010 | preceded1 = Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall | succeeded1 = Cynthia Stafford | term_start2 = November 3, 1992 | term_end2 = November 7, 2000 | preceded2 = Luis E. Rojas | succeeded2 = Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|02|13}} | education = Bethune-Cookman College, Nova Southeastern University | spouse = Bernadine Bush | profession = Teacher | party = Democratic| }}
'''James Drew Bush III''' (born February 13, 1955) is a Miami, Florida teacher and Democratic politician who served as the representative for Florida's 109th House of Representatives district. He previously represented the same district from 1992 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1601661361.html?dids=1601661361:1601661361&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+23%2C+2008&author=STEVE+BOUSQUET&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=P.6&desc=WHO%27S+WHO+AND+NEW |title=Who's who and new |access-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408021703/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/tampabay/offers.html?url=%2Ftampabay%2Fdoc%2F264267125.html%3FFMT%3DFT&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Nov%2023%2C%202008&author=STEVE%20BOUSQUET&pub=St.%20Petersburg%20Times&edition=&startpage=P.6&desc=WHO%27S%20WHO%20AND%20NEW |url-status=dead |date=November 23, 2008<!-- Online January 23, 2009 -->|work=The St. Petersburg Times|last=Bousquet|first=Steve|page=<!-- Perspective -->6}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Bush was born in Panama City, Florida on February 13, 1955. His wife, Bernadine Bush is from Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Miami Northwestern Senior High School in 1974. Bush earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Bethune-Cookman College in 1979 and his Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision from Nova Southeastern University in 1984.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Tribune News Service|title=Florida State Senate Race Turns into a Rematch|url=http://www.governing.com/news/state/mct-florida-state-senate-race-turns-into-rematch.html|magazine=Governing|date=August 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502131738/http://www.governing.com/news/state/mct-florida-state-senate-race-turns-into-rematch.html|archive-date=May 2, 2013|access-date=March 2, 2026|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Political career == Bush made an unsuccessful bid for Florida Commissioner of Education in 2000. In 2010, he ran for Congress in Florida's 17th congressional district, losing to state senator Frederica Wilson. In 2004, he earned his D.Min-Christian Ed. at Smith Chapel Bible College. Since returning to the Florida House of Representatives, Bush garnered a conservative record, voting for controversial bills put forward by Ron DeSantis like the "Don't Say Gay" bill. Earning the ire of many in Tallahassee and the Democratic Party's liberal and progressive wings, Bush lost reelection in 2022 to Ashley Gantt and since neither candidate faced a general election opponent, the primary was tantamount to victory.
==See also== *2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://web.archive.org/web/20100528052033/https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/SECTIONS/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4011 Representative James Bush III] at My Florida House{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=24232 | fec= | congress= }}<!-- Links formerly displayed via the CongLinks template: * [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=3865 Financial information (state office)] at the National Institute for Money in State Politics * -->
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, James}} Category:Bethune–Cookman University alumni Category:Nova Southeastern University alumni Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Panama City, Florida Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature
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