Keith Perry (politician)
| Keith Perry | |
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| Member of the Florida Senate from the 8th district |
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Assumed office November 8, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 21st district 22nd (2010-2012) |
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In office November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Cretul |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Clemons |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 3, 1958 Tallahassee, Florida |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Amy S. Cekander |
| Children | Alexis, Amanda |
| Alma mater | Buchholz High School |
| Profession | Roofing contractor |
W. Keith Perry (born December 3, 1958) is a Republican member of the Florida Senate, representing the 8th district, encompassing Alachua, Putnam, and part of Marion County in North Central Florida, since 2016. He also served in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 22nd district from 2010 to 2012 and the 21st district from 2012 to 2016.
Keith Perry was born in Tallahassee and attended Buchholz High School in Gainesville, and after graduating, started Keith Perry Roofing Contractors, which became a successful roofing company in Florida. He also founded the House of Hope, a Christian-affiliated rehabilitation center for recently released prisoners.
In 2010, when incumbent Republican State Representative Larry Cretul, the Speaker of the House, could not seek re-election due to term limits, Perry ran to succeed him in the 22nd District, which included southern Alachua County, eastern Levy County, and western Marion County. In the Republican primary, he defeated Remzey Samarrai and John Patrick Deakins, winning 44% of the vote. He encountered Democratic nominee Jon Paugh in the general election, and he won election to his first term convincingly, with 61% of the vote.
When Florida House districts were redrawn in 2012, Keith Perry ran for re-election in the 21st District, which constituted vastly different territory than the 22nd District, but included Gainesville, where he lives. He was unopposed in the Republican primary, and in the general election, he faced Andrew Morey, the Democratic nominee. Because Keith Perry had not represented most of the territory in the legislature and the fact that Morey had not run for office before, they "were unfamiliar faces in broad swaths of District 21." In the end, Perry was re-elected with 57% of the vote.
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