W. D. Childers
| W. D. Childers | |
|---|---|
Senator W. D. Childers, 1979
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| Member of the Florida Senate from the 1st district |
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In office 1970–2000 |
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| Preceded by | John R. Broxson |
| Succeeded by | Durell Peaden |
| Escambia County Commission | |
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In office 2000–2002 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Whitehead |
| Succeeded by | Cliff Barnhart |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 25, 1933 Crackers Neck, Florida |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Adell Johnson |
| Children | Gail, Jeanna, Karen and Marvel |
| Alma mater | Florida State University |
Wyon Dale "W. D." Childers (born November 25, 1933) is a former West Florida politician who served 30 years in the State Senate, from 1970 to 2000, including a stint as Senate President from 1980 to 1982 and as dean from 1988 to 2000. He holds the title of Florida's longest-serving state legislator. He earned the nickname "Banty Rooster" – after the diminutive, swaggering barnyard fowl – and became known for his eccentric mannerisms and colorful, folksy expressions. Childers was popular in his district for the ample state funding and "turkey" projects he sent home, including $12.5 million for the Pensacola Civic Center and the I-110 extension to Gregory Street. Initially a Democrat, he switched to the Republican Party in 1995.
After term limits forced him from the Florida Senate in 2000, Childers ran for the District 1 seat of the Escambia County Commission. He became embroiled in the soccer complex corruption scandal and was found guilty of violating the Florida Sunshine Law and of bribing Commissioner Willie Junior to help push the purchases of two properties, totaling $6.2 million, from Childers' associates Joe and Georgann Elliott.
Childers served nearly three years of a 42-month prison sentence in West Palm Beach and was released on 17 June 2009, after which he relocated away from Pensacola. On 8 June 2010, a federal appeals court overturned the bribery conviction, ruling that Childers' constitutional right to confront his accuser had been violated, as the defense team was not allowed to question Junior on his change of testimony.
Born in Wright, Florida (then known as Crackers Neck), Wyon Dale Childers attended the Bay County High School and went on to Florida State University, where he met Ruth Adell Johnson. They were married on 21 December 1953. Childers graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1955. He became a math teacher and supplemented his salary with roofing work and door-to-door sales. He capitalized on the sale of trendy items – hula hoops in the 50s, color televisions in the 60s – and also practiced real estate.
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