Florida Democrats name their state HQ for Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson, Terrie Rizzo, and Grace Nelson
Welcome to The Senator Bill Nelson Florida Democratic Party Headquarters.

The Florida Democratic Party is going to be run out of The Senator Bill Nelson Florida Democratic Party Headquarters from now on.

Wednesday, the party formally named its state office for the rancher, lawyer, Army officer, NASA payload specialist and Democrat who served in elected office for more than 40 years through January 2019 and who effectively was the face, voice and conscience of the party as he served the final 18 years as Florida’s U.S. Senator.

More than 50 people gathered Wednesday for a ceremony naming the party headquarters for Nelson. He was joined by his wife of 47 years, Grace, along with dozens of state lawmakers, Leon County and Tallahassee officials and state party officials.

“It is an honor to have the Florida Democratic Party Headquarters named for me in recognition of over four decades of public service. I believe that government service is a high calling,” Nelson said. “I am grateful to the party for this tribute.”

The office is in the heart of Tallahassee in the Historic Exchange Bank Building, which was originally built in 1927. Known for its limestone trim and unique terracotta wall ornamentation in neo-Egyptian and Greek design, it was one of the first modern private office buildings in Tallahassee and one of the few downtown buildings to maintain its architectural integrity. The Democrats moved in last August.

“We are proud to name our headquarters for Sen. Nelson,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo. “He has done so much to improve people’s lives and the naming ceremony is an honor to his lifetime of public service and his continued commitment to supporting Democrats and causes which lift up our shared values.”

Nelson retired after being defeated by Republican Sen. Rick Scott in the closest U.S. Senate vote in state history in 2018. Among his career highlights were six years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, leaving as a captain; six years in the Florida House of Representatives starting in 1972; 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives starting in 1979; six years as Florida Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Fire Marshal, starting in 1995; and 18 years in the U.S. Senate, starting in 2001. He also flew into space as a NASA payload specialist on Space Shuttle Columbia’s STS-61-C mission in January 1986.

Scott Powers

Scott Powers is an Orlando-based political journalist with 30+ years’ experience, mostly at newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel and the Columbus Dispatch. He covers local, state and federal politics and space news across much of Central Florida. His career earned numerous journalism awards for stories ranging from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster to presidential elections to misplaced nuclear waste. He and his wife Connie have three grown children. Besides them, he’s into mystery and suspense books and movies, rock, blues, basketball, baseball, writing unpublished novels, and being amused. Email him at [email protected].


One comment

  • Palmer Tom

    March 5, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    I have a great respect for Bill Nelson’s years of public service and contributed to his campaign, but I hope Florida Democrats do something more substantive than renaming buildings. This is an important year.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704