Floyd Spence
Floyd Davidson Spence (April 9, 1928 – August 16, 2001) was an American attorney and a politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina. Elected for three terms to the South Carolina House of Representatives from Lexington County as a Democrat, in 1962 Spence announced his decision to switch to the Republican Party, as he was unhappy with shifts in the national party.
Floyd Spence | |
|---|---|
Spence in 1976 | |
| Chair of the House National Security Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Speaker | Newt Gingrich Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | Ron Dellums |
| Succeeded by | Bob Stump |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 1971 – August 16, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Albert William Watson |
| Succeeded by | Joe Wilson |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 7th district | |
| In office January 14, 1969 – December 15, 1970 Serving with Michael Lukens Laughlin, Gilbert Edward McMillen | |
| Preceded by | Frank Laney Roddey |
| Succeeded by | Albert John Dooley |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 22nd district | |
| In office January 10, 1967 – January 14, 1969 Serving with Eugene Cannon Griffith | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Lexington County | |
| In office January 8, 1957 – January 8, 1963 Serving with Pat Lindler, Ryan C. Shealy, Albert John Dooley | |
| Preceded by | Jack Reel Callison |
| Succeeded by | Pat Lindler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Floyd Davidson Spence April 9, 1928 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 2001 (aged 73) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Lexington, South Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic (c. 1946–1962) Republican (1962–2001) |
| Spouses | Lula Hancock Drake
(m. 1952; died 1978)Deborah E. Williams (m. 1988) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of South Carolina (BA) University of South Carolina School of Law (JD) |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy Reserve |
| Years of service | 1947–1988 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
He lost a contested seat that year for United States Representative from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district to Democrat Albert W. Watson, who had the support of powerful senator Strom Thurmond. Watson shifted to the Republican Party in 1965 and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1970. That year Spence won the congressional seat, and was re-elected for fourteen terms after this. He became ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee in 1993 and chairman in 1995. Spence died in office from cerebral thrombosis in Washington, D.C., in 2001.