INTRODUCTION 

Lawton Chiles, President of the senior class,
Lakeland High School, 1948

Lakeland has played a significant role in state and national politics over the years and has sent a number of its native sons onto the state and national political stage. 

Two of the city's pioneer settlers were early contributors to Florida's political leadership.  Herbert J. Drane. who settled in Lakeland in 1883, served the city as city councilor and mayor, was elected to both houses of the Florida legislature and represented Lakeland and the surrounding area for sixteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Drane's contemporary and fellow Lakeland pioneer, Park Trammell, followed a similar career in politics, at least initially.  Trammell served as mayor of Lakeland and was also elected to both houses of the Florida legislature.  He was then successively elected as Attorney General of Florida, Governor of the State and to four terms as a United States Senator from Florida.

The Peterson family of Lakeland also made its mark in local, state, and national politics.  J. Hardin Peterson, Sr. served Lakeland as its city attorney and went on to represent the interests of Polk County and Florida in the U. S. House of Representatives for 18 years (1933-51).  His son, J. Hardin Peterson, also served as city attorney and on two occasions as general counsel to Governor Lawton Chiles, another of Lakeland's native sons. Peterson Sr.'s nephew, Curtis Peterson, represented Lakeland in the Florida State Senate for 18 years (1972-90) and rose to presidency of the Senate from 1982 to 1984.

In more recent years, native sons Lawton Chiles and Charles T. Canady have continued the tradition of public service that marked the careers of Drane, Trammell, and the Petersons.  "Walkin" Lawton Chiles served in both Houses of  the Florida Legislature, as well as being elected to three terms in the United States Senate (1970-88) and two terms as Florida's governor.  (1990-98).  Charles T. Canady served in both the Florida (1984-90) and U.S. House of Representatives (1992-2000).  After his retirement from Congress, Canady accepted an appointment as general counsel to current Florida governor, Jeb Bush.

Residents of Lakeland listened to these and other candidates for public office and then went to the polls to cast their ballots.  Take a moment to view the following photos of Lakelanders going to the polls when "All Politics was Local.