Andrew Meacham
From the time he served as Speaker of the Florida House to his retirement as a university president more than 20 years later, John Thrasher left an indelible imprint on Florida politics.
An effective ally of Jeb Bush, he championed legislation that ushered in an era of Republican dominance that has endured, whether in criminal justice, tax reform, or heightened school standards. He went on to help found the state’s largest lobbying firm and then served in the Florida Senate, as well as in leadership roles within the Republican Party of Florida.
Thrasher, who went on to lead Florida State University through six years of capital and academic expansion, part of a towering and consequential legacy, died early Friday in Orlando of cancer. He was 81.
“He didn’t really seek out personal acclaim,” said Paul Bradshaw, a co-founder of The Southern Group, the lobbying group Thrasher joined at its earliest stage. “But I think he thought his legacies would be if the things he touched prospered beyond him. And that is an unusual person.”
News of his death brought tributes and condolences flooding social media. “John Thrasher’s legacy will endure as one of our finest examples of faithful service and love for Florida and its people,” former Gov. Bush posted on X.
Gov. Ron DeSantis echoed those sentiments, noting on X that “John lived a remarkable life – and he made a big difference in the lives of so many in our state.”
“Few have given more to that state of Florida than John Thrasher,” former House Speaker Daniel Webster wrote. “When my Republican colleagues and I gained control of the Florida House for the first time in 122 years, John was the first to extend his congratulations. Together, we helped usher in a new era of common sense conservative leadership.”
“(Thrasher) followed Daniel Webster, and liked to say that he was the second Republican House Speaker since 1874,” said Kathy Mears, currently Chief of Staff to Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who from 1996 to 2000 served as spokesperson to both Webster and Thrasher. ”That’s kind of a tongue-in-cheek thing that he said, but really, Dan Webster was such a great Republican Speaker. And to have John Thrasher follow behind was showing that Republicans could lead with common sense and excellence.”
A common touch also distinguished him. “He was one of those rare people,” Bradshaw said, “who could talk to the president of the United States – and sometimes did – and stay really grounded and talk with the baggage handler for Air Force One and an equally authentic, engaged conversation.”
That lack of artifice might stem from origins he never forgot. Born Dec. 18, 1943, in Columbia, South Carolina, he grew up in Jacksonville. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school and attend college. He met his future wife, Jean, over the Summer at Florida State; they married during his senior year.
He majored in business administration and graduated in 1965. Thrasher then enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam War, a decision that would separate him from his wife and young child and force him to miss the birth of their second child. He served in the Army for four years, advancing to the rank of captain and earning two Bronze Stars for his distinguished performance in combat zones.
After his honorable discharge in 1970, he enrolled in FSU’s law school, graduating in 1972. Among his duties was serving as General Counsel for the Florida Medical Association. Thrasher served on the Clay County School Board from 1986 to 1990, including as Chair for the last two years.
He ran for the state House in 1992 and won that race. The most significant changes came as Thrasher succeeded Webster as Speaker of the House in 1998 and Jeb Bush was elected Governor.
The two men shared common ground on basic conservative principles. They were so much in sync that colleagues jokingly likened Bush to Elvis and Thrasher to Col. Tom Parker. An excitement was also growing as they could envision a Republican-led Legislature with staying power.
Two anti-crime measures were passed in Thrasher’s two years as Speaker: 10-20-Life in 1998, which increased penalties for firearms used in a crime, followed in 1999 by the Three Strikes Law, which punishes repeat offenders.
The “A+ plan,” which demanded accountability for public schools, led to dramatic increases in student performance over the next 20 years, with its principles still being continued by DeSantis.
Thrasher left the House in 2001 due to term limits, but he was far from finished.
In the early 2000s, strategist David Rancourt left the Bush administration and, with Bradshaw, started The Southern Strategy Group, a lobbying firm.
They brought on board Thrasher and T.K. Wetherell (who was also a former House Speaker and future FSU president).
In all, the core group consisted of “six to eight top-tier, high-level, successful, achieving guys, none of whom had ever made any money in their lives because we had all been in public service,” Rancourt said on a recent podcast.
The firm, now known as The Southern Group, began with approximately 10 clients. It now represents more than 300 independent clients in 21 offices across 18 states. Thrasher’s contributions to it were invaluable.
“John was so much to so many,” Rancourt, who now serves as Vice President of Enrollment at New College, told Florida Politics. “A patriot, a leader, and a good, kindhearted soul. He was a mentor to me as a young man and became a dear friend. He gave our young firm credibility and a sense of patience.”
In 2010, Thrasher went on to become Chair of the Republican Party of Florida, succeeding Jim Greer, who was arrested four months later on charges of defrauding the RPOF and subsequently served prison time.
Under Thrasher’s leadership, the party raised nearly $55 million in less than a year, eclipsing the $50 million raised by Greer in four years and paving the way for a sweep of Florida’s Cabinet seats and a two-thirds majority in the Legislature.
In 2010, Thrasher won a Special Election to the state Senate — the first of three elections to the upper chamber, all by margins of around 60%. During his tenure, Thrasher chaired the influential Rules Committee, through which nearly all major legislation must pass.
In 2014, he accepted an appointment to return to FSU, this time as the university’s President, overcoming the vocal resistance of some activists. Thrasher was not an academic, protesters said, and would likely serve the Republican Party at the university’s expense.
His supporters spoke up, too, including Don Gaetz, a former Senate President and current Senator. “My prediction is that, years from now, even some of the critics will be proud to say they attended Florida State University during the glory days of John Thrasher’s presidency.”
As he had done previously, however, Thrasher proved to be an effective leader and a nimble negotiator.
Over six years at the helm, he backed a capital fundraising campaign that raised $1 billion, which helped build new residence halls; a home for the College of Business, a new student union; the Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Building; and the interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building.
He also arranged for Pell grants for FSU students whose family members had not attended college attending college, as well as the Black Student Union and the Seminole Legacy Golf Course, according to a press release by the university.
In just four years under Thrasher, the school’s academic rankings in U.S. News and World Report shot up from 43rd among public universities to 18th in the country. Enrollment also increased.
“John was a great leader and a great president for the university and is going to be missed,” said Ed Burr, a former Board of Trustees chair. “He had a great ability to reach out to others, (including) those who disagreed with him because he was a great listener and flexible sometimes in his views. He was willing to always continue to learn. And I think that was just a short period of time when the vast majority of even his opposition in the process became supporters for John. He had a unique ability to do that.”
A private burial will be held in Orange Park, with a celebration of life Aug. 19 at FSU’s Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, Thrasher’s family disclosed in a statement.
Though remembered for his sure-handed leadership, Thrasher was not calm all of the time. He was capable of righteous anger and not afraid to show it, said longtime strategist and lobbyist John “Mac” Stipanovich.
Still, he said, “He never did say anything in my memory of which he needed to be ashamed, or thought he would redo if he had the chance.”
“He is one of the most preeminent political figures in my lifetime,” Stipanovich added, “along with people like Leroy Collins, Lawton Chiles and Jeb Bush. “He is in that company. And that is pretty tall timber to stand among.”
