E. Clay Shaw Jr.
| E. Clay Shaw Jr. | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 22nd district |
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In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | District Created |
| Succeeded by | Ron Klein |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 15th district |
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In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Dante Fascell |
| Succeeded by | Jim Bacchus |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 12th district |
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In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Stack |
| Succeeded by | Tom Lewis |
| Mayor of Fort Lauderdale | |
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In office 1975–1981 |
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| Preceded by | Virginia S. Young |
| Succeeded by | Virginia S. Young |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Eugene Clay Shaw Jr. April 19, 1939 Miami, Florida |
| Died | September 10, 2013 (aged 74) Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Emilie Shaw |
| Residence | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Alma mater | Stetson University, University of Alabama |
| Occupation | Judge, Accountant |
Eugene Clay Shaw Jr. (April 19, 1939 – September 10, 2013) was an American politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until 2007. He represented the 22nd District of Florida until he was defeated by Ron Klein in the 2006 midterm election.
Shaw was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated in 1957 from Miami Edison Senior High School. He received a bachelor's degree in business in 1961 from Stetson University in Florida, where he joined Sigma Nu Fraternity, a master's degree in accounting in 1963 from the University of Alabama, and a law degree in 1966 from Stetson University School of Law. Shaw married the former Emilie Costar on August 22, 1966.
After graduating, Shaw practiced law and worked as a certified public accountant. In 1968, he became assistant city attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was chief city prosecutor from 1968 to 1969 and an associate municipal judge from 1969 to 1971.
Shaw was the city commissioner from 1971 to 1973. and vice mayor 1973 to 1975. He then served as mayor of Fort Lauderdale from 1975 to 1981. During his tenure as mayor, Shaw served on the Advisory Board and Executive Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, former President of the National Conference of Republican Mayors, and was named Special U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea by President Gerald Ford.
The 1980 election cycle provided National Republicans with the opportunity to gain Congressional seats. As Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter battled for the White House, the National Republican Campaign Committee was actively seeking a Republican candidate in South Florida to challenge freshman Democratic congressman Edward J. Stack. The district, one of Florida's first Republican areas, had been held by Republican J. Herbert Burke for 12 years before Stack ousted him in 1978. Having been turned down by two potential candidates, including state Senator Van Poole, National Congressional Republicans set their eyes on popular Fort Lauderdale mayor, Clay Shaw. After multiple attempts to convince Shaw to run for Congress, Shaw agreed. With the support of his wife, Emilie, and four young children, Shaw undertook the task of defeating an incumbent. However, Shaw's candidacy received a significant boost when Stack was upset in the Democratic primary by a young Fort Lauderdale lawyer, Allen Becker. Shaw and Becker faced off in a spirited November general election with Shaw winning 55 percent of the vote. Congressman-elect Shaw was on his way to Washington to represent Broward County's 15th Congressional district. Also in 1980, Ronald Reagan became the 40th President of the United States, and Republicans gained control of the United States Senate.
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