Colleen Burton

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Burton was born in Heidelberg, West Germany, to a military family. She attended California State University, Sacramento, graduating with a degree in public administration in 1980.

After graduating from college, Burton moved to Lakeland, Florida, and began working for a number of nonprofit organizations, starting with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Polk County.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} Burton then took a job as the executive director of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra and then formed Polk Vision, a group of government representatives, local business leaders, and residents to chart out the future of Polk County.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Burton ran for Polk County supervisor of elections in 2012, challenging incumbent Supervisor Lori Edwards in the nonpartisan primary, and campaigned on her "ability to pull people together to work for a common cause", as she did with Polk Vision.{{cite web|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20120731/POLITICS/120739812|title=Incumbent Lori Edwards Faces Challenge From Colleen Burton|date=July 31, 2012|access-date=December 10, 2014|work=The Ledger|first=Suzie|last=Schottelkotte}} The Ledger endorsed Edwards over Burton, though praised both as "top-notch candidates with long records of successful, high-level public service".{{cite web|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20120715/EDIT01/120719658?p=2&tc=pg|title=The Ledger Recommends - Supervisor of Elections: Lori Edwards|date=July 15, 2012|access-date=December 10, 2014|work=The Ledger}} Edwards defeated Burton with 73% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www.polkelections.com/home/facts/election_results.asp?section=facts&RaceCode=134-2012-180&t=h|title=Election Results|publisher=Polk County Supervisor of Elections|access-date=December 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217082013/http://www.polkelections.com/home/facts/election_results.asp?section=facts&RaceCode=134-2012-180&t=h|archive-date=December 17, 2014|url-status=dead}}

In 2014, incumbent State Representative Seth McKeel was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, so Burton ran to succeed him. She faced attorney John Hugh Shannon in the Republican primary, and she was endorsed by a number of locally elected Republicans, including State Senators Kelli Stargel and Denise Grimsley.{{cite web|url=http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/coleen-burton-and-john-hugh-shannon-get-ready-fight-open-polk-county-house-seat|title=Colleen Burton and John Hugh Shannon Get Set to Run for Open House Seat in Polk|date=March 22, 2014|access-date=December 10, 2014|work=Sunshine State News|first=Jeff|last=Henderson|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172701/http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/coleen-burton-and-john-hugh-shannon-get-ready-fight-open-polk-county-house-seat|archive-date=December 21, 2014|url-status=dead}} Burton campaigned on her support for cutting taxes, continuing education funding at current levels, reducing regulation, and work with local economic development groups, asking, "What can we do? What can happen in Tallahassee to enhance your position so that more companies come to Polk County?"{{cite web|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20140525/columnists0308/140529589?tc=ar|title=Candidates: Parkway, Budget, Jobs|date=May 25, 2014|access-date=December 10, 2014|work=The Ledger|first=Glenn|last=Marston}} She was attacked during the campaign by an organization supporting Shannon for being "too liberal" by developing a plan that "raised property taxes by 23 percent and utility fees by 500 percent" and for supporting assistance for undocumented immigrants, an attack that she condemned as "predictable, unethical and illegal".{{cite web|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20140722/politics/140729667?p=2&tc=pg|title=TV Ad Draws Controversy to GOP Race|date=July 22, 2014|access-date=December 10, 2014|work=The Ledger|first=Rick|last=Rousos}} In the end, Burton narrowly emerged victorious over Shannon, defeating him by fewer than 200 votes and winning 51% of the vote. She advanced to the general election, where she faced Ricky Shirah, the Democratic nominee, and Ed Shoemaker, the American Independent Party nominee. During the campaign, Burton campaigned on her opposition to the expansion of Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, her opposition to changing the process by which legislative districts are drawn, and her support for education funding.{{cite web|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20141017/politics/141019375?p=all&tc=pgall|title=Florida Legislature: Burton and Shirah Offer Sharp Differences on Florida Issues|date=October 17, 2014|access-date=December 10, 2014|work=The Ledger|first1=Rick|last1=Rousos|first2=Monivette|last2=Cordeiro|first3=Daniel|last3=Figueroa}} Burton ended up defeating her opponents by a wide margin, winning her first term in the legislature with 55% of the vote to Shirah's 40% and Shoemaker's 5%.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4616&LegislativeTermId=86 Florida House of Representatives - Colleen Burton]
• [http://colleenburton.com/ Colleen Burton for State Representative]

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Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:Politicians from Heidelberg

Category:People from Lakeland, Florida

Category:California State University, Sacramento alumni

Category:Women state legislators in Florida

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature