Flashback Friday: Leroy Collins debates Charley Johns

I recently wrote the afterword to Robert Buccellato’s excellent new book Finding Dan McCarty focusing on Governor Leroy Collins – here is a clip from youtube with his debate versus Charley Johns in 1954. We’ve spent plenty of time on this site discussing the reactionary nature of Johns.  This Democratic Primary may have been the most important in Florida history.

Full debate:

https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/232388

3 comments

  1. fascinating stuff.

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  2. […] state was fortunate that we didn’t go the way of Alabama or Mississippi thanks in large part to a single Gubernatorial Election in 1954 when LeRoy Collins defeated Charley Johns in the Democratic Primary Runoff.  Had Johns, not Collins […]

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  3. […] state was fortunate that we didn’t go the way of Alabama or Mississippi thanks in large part to a single Gubernatorial Election in 1954 when LeRoy Collins defeated Charley Johns in the Democratic Primary Runoff.  Had Johns, not […]

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