Jeff Clemens

Clemens was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended Michigan State University, from which he graduated in 1992 with a degree in journalism. He moved to Florida in 1997 and worked as a planner for the Florida Institute of Public Health, a reporter for the Naples Daily News, an aide to State Representative Mary Brandenburg, and as the Chairman of the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency.{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-07-21/news/fl-elections-house-district-89-box-20100721_1_rep-mary-brandenburg-political-career-jeff-clemens|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140603020610/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-07-21/news/fl-elections-house-district-89-box-20100721_1_rep-mary-brandenburg-political-career-jeff-clemens|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 3, 2014|title=Pete Brandenburg, Jeff Clemens face of in primary|date=July 21, 2010|accessdate=June 2, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel}}

In 2007, Clemens ran for Mayor of Lake Worth, challenging incumbent Mayor Marc Drautz in a crowded field that included Mary Lindsey, John Jordan, William D. Coakley, and Andrew Procyk. He won 48% of the vote to Drautz's 41% in the election on March 13,{{cite web|url=http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=80|title=Uniform Municipal Election 3/13/2007|publisher=Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections|accessdate=June 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810061644/http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=80|archive-date=August 10, 2018|url-status=dead}} but because he did not win a majority, he had to run against Drautz in a runoff election held on March 27. Clemens campaigned as the most experienced candidate and condemned the negative advertisements against him funded by "outside interests," noting, "Usually an incumbent spends his time talking about the positive things he has accomplished, but in the absence of accomplishments the only recourse is to use negative attacks."{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-03-23/news/0703230020_1_mayoral-candidates-clemens-door|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606210113/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-03-23/news/0703230020_1_mayoral-candidates-clemens-door|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 6, 2014|title=Rivals go door to door for runoff|date=March 23, 2007|accessdate=June 2, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Maria|last=Herrera}} Ultimately, Clemens narrowly defeated Drautz by 149 votes, winning 52% of the vote to Drautz's 48%.{{cite web|url=http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=83|title=Municipal Run-off Election 3/27/2007|publisher=Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections|accessdate=June 2, 2014}}

Clemens spent his time as Mayor rebuilding city parks, helping to bring a Publix to downtown,{{Cite news |last=Howard |first=Willie |date=October 7, 2009 |title=Lake Worth commissioners approve Publix location downtown, building height limits |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2009/10/07/lake-worth-commissioners-approve-publix/7438406007/ |work=Palm Beach Post}} and starting the city's beachfront rebuild. He was also a main proponent of moving the area's LGBTQ support group, Compass, and its headquarters to Lake Worth, pushing the City Commission to lease a building in a close 3-2 vote.{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2008 |title=Gay Lesbian group moves its headquarters to Lake Worth |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2008/11/27/gay-lesbian-group-moves-its-headquarters-2/ |website=The Sun-Sentinel}} He did not run for re-election, instead deciding to run for a vacant Florida House of Representatives seat.

In 2010, following the inability of incumbent State Representative Bradenburg to seek re-election, Clemens ran to succeed her in the 89th District, which stretched from Greenacres to West Palm Beach and Hypoluxo in eastern Palm Beach County. In the Democratic primary, he defeated Brandenburg's husband, Peter Brandenburg, winning 60% of the vote. Advancing to the general election, Clemens faced Steven Rosenblum, the Republican nominee and a former pharmacy manager. He campaigned on his support for increasing funding for education, declaring that the state's low level of spending per student is a "source of embarrassment for every Floridian," and on opposition to offshore drilling, noting, "It's not just an environmental issue. It's an economic one. Florida's economy is largely based on tourism."{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-10-01/news/fl-election-state-house-89-20101001_1_oil-drilling-state-house-seat-pits-drilling-in-florida-waters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606211853/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-10-01/news/fl-election-state-house-89-20101001_1_oil-drilling-state-house-seat-pits-drilling-in-florida-waters|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 6, 2014|title=District 89: Candidates' differences mostly follow party lines|date=October 1, 2010|accessdate=June 2, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Willie|last=Howard}} Ultimately, Clemens defeated Rosenblum in a landslide, winning his first term in the legislature with 60% of the vote.

While in the House, Clemens filed the first-ever Florida bill seeking to legalize medical marijuana.{{Cite news |author=Staff Writer |date=March 11, 2011 |title=Lawmaker files Medical Marijuana amenedment |url=https://www.staugustine.com/story/news/local/2011/03/11/lawmaker-files-medical-marijuana-amendment/16209860007/ |pages=The St. Augustine Record}} While the bill did not receive a hearing, it began a larger discussion that culminated in the passing of a constitutional amendment (Amendment 2, 2016) legalizing medical marijuana in 2016.{{Citation |title=2016 Florida Amendment 2 |date=2025-01-18 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Florida_Amendment_2 |access-date=2025-02-10 |language=en}} He also sponsored a bill that would expand the possible locations for early voting to various government buildings and university campuses.{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=HB 921: Early Voting |url=https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0921__.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=921&Session=2011 |website=MyFloridaHouse.gov}}

Following the reconfiguration of Florida Senate districts in 2012, Clemens was drawn into the 27th District. In the Democratic primary, he faced fellow State Representative Mack Bernard. Clemens won the endorsement of labor unions AFL-CIO and SEIU, while Bernard received the endorsement of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.{{cite web|url=http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/sd-27-two-dem-state-reps-battle-open-florida-seat-palm-beach-county|title=SD 27: Two Dem State Reps Battle for Open Florida Seat in Palm Beach County|date=July 31, 2012|accessdate=May 28, 2013|work=Sunshine State News|first=Kevin|last=Derby|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095010/http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/sd-27-two-dem-state-reps-battle-open-florida-seat-palm-beach-county|url-status=dead}} In the end, Clemens was able to narrowly defeat Bernard by only seventeen votes in the primary election.{{cite web|url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/recount-continues-in-bernard-clemens-race/nRFDw/|title=After recount, Clemens defeats Bernard by 17 votes in Florida Senate District 27|date=August 18, 2012|accessdate=May 28, 2013|work=Palm Beach Post|first=Christine|last=Stapleton}} Bernard held out hope, however, that Clemens's victory would be overturned and filed a lawsuit to have forty absentee ballots counted. A judge in Tallahassee ruled against Bernard but allowed nine provisional ballots to be counted, which would not have been enough to allow Bernard to emerge victorious{{cite web|url=http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/political/provisional-ballots-to-be-counted-in-bernard-clemens-senate-race|title=Provisional ballots to be counted in Mack Bernard, Jeff Clemens Senate race|date=September 17, 2012|accessdate=May 28, 2013|work=WPTV-TV|first=Ryan|last=Calhoun|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030150356/http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/political/provisional-ballots-to-be-counted-in-bernard-clemens-senate-race|archivedate=October 30, 2012}} In the general election, Clemens remained on the ballot as the Democratic nominee, and was elected unopposed.

During the 2014 legislative session, Clemens introduced legislation that "regulates the cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, prescribing, and retail sale of marijuana for medical purposes," a version of which he introduced in every legislative sessionhes was a part of since he was elected to the legislature.{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-05-31/health/fl-medical-marijuana-legislation-model-20140531_1_medical-marijuana-bill-marijuana-laws-clemens|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605023244/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-05-31/health/fl-medical-marijuana-legislation-model-20140531_1_medical-marijuana-bill-marijuana-laws-clemens|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 5, 2014|title=If medical marijuana amendment passes, roadmap to implementation already written|date=May 31, 2014|accessdate=June 2, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Dan|last=Sweeney}} Additionally, he worked with Republican State Senator Jeff Brandes to co-author and pass legislation that would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to raise the speed limit to 75 miles per hour on certain state highways,{{cite web|url=http://news.wfsu.org/post/speed-limit-bill-s-looming-veto-what-led-outcome-bill-sponsor-s-surprise|title=Speed Limit Bill's Looming Veto: What Led To That Outcome, Bill Sponsor's 'Surprise'|date=May 23, 2014|accessdate=June 2, 2014|work=WFSU-TV|first=Sascha|last=Cordner}} though Governor Rick Scott vetoed the legislation following opposition from law enforcement officials and the American Automobile Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/06/02/4154131/gov-rick-scott-vetoes-speed-limit.html|title=Gov. Rick Scott vetoes speed limit bill, as he promised|date=June 2, 2014|accessdate=June 2, 2014|work=Miami Herald|first=Tia|last=Mitchell}} Clemens was also the sponsor of the Competitive Workforce Act, which would have banned discrimination in hiring and firing for members of the LGBTQ community.{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2017 |title=Equality Florida Applauds Bipartisan Filing of the Florida Competitive Workforce Act |url=https://www.eqfl.org/news/FCWA2017 |website=Equality Florida}}

Clemens' district was reconfigured and renumbered after court-ordered redistricting in 2016. The redrawn district encompassed Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Lantana, Lake Clarke Shores, and Greenacres.

On October 27, 2017, Clemens resigned from the Senate after admitting to an extramarital affair with a Martin County employee registered to lobby the state on the small county's behalf. The affair became public a day before.{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2017/10/27/clemens-says-hes-resigning-after-admitting-to-affair-with-lobbyist-115319|title=Clemens says he's resigning from state Senate after admitting to affair with lobbyist|last=Caputo|first=Marc|date=2017-10-27|work=Politico|access-date=2017-10-27|last2=Glorioso|first2=Alexandra|last3=Dixon|first3=Matt}}{{cite news | publisher = tallahassee.com | date = October 27, 2017 | title = A top senate Democrat resigns after affair disclosed | author = Dara Kim, The News Service of Florida | url = https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/27/florida-legislator-resigns-after-affair-lobbyist/808703001/ }}

• [http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s27 Florida State Senate - Jeff Clemens]
• [http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4519 Florida House of Representatives - Jeff Clemens]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160210172629/http://www.clemensforflorida.com/ Jeff Clemens for Florida State Senate campaign website]

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Category:Democratic Party Florida state senators

Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature