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Governor Reubin Askew's Legacy

Donald L Koch

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Donald L. Koch is the president of Koch Asset Management in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to founding the company, Donald L. Koch held a variety of roles in Georgia and Florida, including serving as economic advisor to Florida Governor Reubin Askew.

A two-term governor in the 1970s, Askew passed away in 2014 at the age of 85. Best known as a "New South" Democrat, Askew championed racial equality and promoted ethics-in-government laws. Perceived by voters as being against big business, he handily defeated the Republican incumbent, Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr., in 1970. By the end of his second term, however, he supported foreign investment in the state as well as corporate tax breaks in an effort to bring new business to Florida.

Because of his moderate political stance, Askew is often linked to former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who served as governors of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively. He spoke at the 1972 Democratic National Convention and was at one point considered as a running mate for Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern. In 1983, Askew announced his own presidential candidacy, but he dropped out of the race in March of 1984.