{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Ray Mattox |image = Ray Mattox.jpg |caption = Mattox in 1974 |image_size = 200 |birth_name = Walter Raymond Mattox |birth_date = {{birth date|1927|03|10}} |birth_place = Jesup, Georgia, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|2005|12|29|1927|03|10}} |death_place = Winter Haven, Florida, U.S. |office1 = Member of the<br> Florida House of Representatives<br> from Polk County |term_start1 = 1957 |term_end1 = 1967 |office2 = Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 56th district |term_start2 = 1967 |term_end2 = 1968 |preceded2 = ''District established'' |succeeded2 = Bob Brannen |office3 = Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 57th district |term_start3 = 1970 |term_end3 = 1972 |preceded3 = William H. Bevis |succeeded3 = John J. Savage |office4 = Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 49th district |term_start4 = 1972 |term_end4 = 1976 |preceded4 = Jack Murphy |succeeded4 = Bob Crawford |party = Democratic |children = 2<ref name="a">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/01/01/mccheadray-mattoxmcchead/26625572007/|title=Ray Mattox|work=The Ledger|date=December 31, 2005|access-date=August 23, 2022}}</ref> |alma_mater = Florida Southern College<br>University of Florida }}
'''Walter Raymond Mattox''' (March 10, 1927 – December 29, 2005) was an American politician.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/316373193/|title=State's Loyalty Oath May Be Revised|work=Tampa Bay Times|location=Tampa, Florida|date=September 26, 1964|access-date=August 23, 2022|page=14|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}}</ref> A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1957 to 1968 and again from 1972 to 1976.<ref name="b">{{Cite web|url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html|title=House of Representatives|access-date=August 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113095046/http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html|archive-date=January 13, 2018|url-status=live|via=Wayback Machine}}</ref><ref name="c">{{cite web|url=http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/HouseContent/Approved/Public%20Guide/Uploads/Documents/house_counties_final.pdf |title=Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County 1845-2012|first=Robert|last=Ward|date=August 3, 2011|work=Florida House of Representatives|access-date=August 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316034642/https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/HouseContent/Approved/Public%20Guide/Uploads/Documents/house_counties_final.pdf|archive-date=March 16, 2022|url-status=live|via=Wayback Machine}}</ref>
== Life and career == Mattox was born in Jesup, Georgia, the son of Grady Mattox and Audry James. He served in the United States Navy during World War II, which after his discharge, he attended Florida Southern College, earning his BS degree in business economics in 1951. He also attended the University of Florida, earning his law degree in 1954. He was a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve during the Korean War.<ref name="a" /><ref>{{Citation|title=The Florida Handbook|page=418|date=1965|publisher=Peninsular Publishing Company}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=The Clerk's Manual for the Use of the Legislature of the State of Florida|page=134|date=1978|publisher=The State|location=Florida}}</ref>
[[File:Ray Mattox with unidentified man.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Mattox (right) with an unidentified man at the Civitan International, 1969]]
Mattox served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1957 to 1968 and again from 1972 to 1976.<ref name="b" /><ref name="c" /> He lost his seat in the House, in 1976, when he ran as a Democratic candidate for United States representative from the Florida's 8th district. He received 14,876 votes, but lost in the Democratic primary election to candidate Andy Ireland, who won with 36,048 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=750378|title=FL District 8 - D Primary - House of Representatives - Democratic Primary Election|work=Our Campaigns|access-date=July 4, 2025}}</ref>
== Death == Mattox died on December 29, 2005, of a heart attack in Winter Haven, Florida, at the age of 78.<ref name="a" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mattox, Ray}} Category:1927 births Category:2005 deaths Category:People from Jesup, Georgia Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Category:Florida Southern College alumni Category:University of Florida alumni Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II Category:20th-century members of the Florida Legislature