Karen Thurman
| Karen Thurman | |
|---|---|
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| Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party |
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In office 2005–2010 |
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| Preceded by | Scott Maddox |
| Succeeded by | Rod Smith |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 5th district |
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In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Bill McCollum |
| Succeeded by | Ginny Brown-Waite |
| Member of the Florida Senate | |
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In office 1983–1989 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 12, 1951 Rapid City, South Dakota |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | John Thurman |
Karen L. Thurman (born January 12, 1951) is a former U.S. Representative from Florida. She is a Democrat.
She was born on January 12, 1951 in Rapid City, South Dakota, but has spent most of her life in Florida. She received her associate degree from Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville in 1970 and her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida in 1973. She is married to John Thurman. They have two children, McLin (Macky) and Liberty Lee, and make their home in Dunnellon, Florida.
Thurman was first elected to public office in 1974, when she won a seat on the city council of Dunnellon, Florida, on which she served until 1983. She served as Mayor of Dunnellon from 1979 to 1981. She served in the Florida State Senate from 1983 to 1993.
Florida gained three congressional districts after the 1990 census. One of them was the 5th District, which stretched from Gainesville to the far northern portion of the Tampa Bay Area. It was an open secret that this district was drawn for Thurman. She was elected to the House from that district in 1992 and was reelected four more times with no serious opposition.
Thurman was recognized as an expert on health, veterans, and tax issues. She was only the sixth woman to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee. On Ways and Means she fought for lower prescription drugs, increased access to health insurance, and tax relief. Prior to her appointment to Ways and Means in 1996, Congresswoman Thurman served on both the House Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight.
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