Paula Dockery


Paula Dockery is an independent politician from the U.S. state of Florida. She served as a member of the Florida Senate for ten years, representing parts of Central Florida from 2002 to 2012 as a Republican. Previously, she served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives, representing a Lakeland-based district from 1996 until her election to the Senate. In January 2017, she left the Republican Party and became an independent.

Early life

Dockery was born Paula Louise Bono in Queens, New York, on June 6, 1961. Her family moved to Florida in 1968, and she graduated from Coral Springs High School in 1979. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Florida in 1983. While at UF, she was a member of Student Senate, served on the O'Connell Center Board of Managers, Chaired the Affairs & Ethics Committee, and was a graduate teaching assistant.
In 1985 she married Mark Fisher, an aide to United States Senator Lawton Chiles, a Democrat, and in 1986 the couple moved to Lakeland, Florida. She finished her Master of Arts degree in Mass Communications during 1987, divorced her first husband in 1988, and decided to become active in Republican politics. She was introduced to and married C.C. Dockery, a Lakeland businessman and GOP fundraiser, in November 1989. The family business was citrus and cattle.

State legislature

Dockery was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1996, and served three terms. She served as Majority Whip from 1998 through 2000, and was the primary sponsor of the popular Florida Forever Act.
In 2002, she ran for the Florida Senate, and was elected to a district encompassing northern Polk County and parts of surrounding Osceola, Lake, Sumter, and Hernando Counties. She served as Majority Whip from 2002 until 2004. Dockery chaired the Environmental Protection Committee and the Criminal Justice Committee. She was term limited in 2012 and could not run for re-election.

2010 gubernatorial campaign

On June 1, 2009, there was a draft campaign to see Senator Dockery run for Governor of Florida.
On November 4, 2009, Dockery entered the race for Florida governor, challenging Florida's Attorney General Bill McCollum for the Republican Nomination. Dockery dropped out of the race when it became clear that she would be unable to run a competitive campaign against Rick Scott, who spent nearly $50 million of his own money to secure a bitterly fought Republican primary victory.
After Scott's primary win, Dockery's name was floated as a potential running mate for Scott.
On 30 August 2010, Dockery announced that she would not run for lieutenant governor at Scott's side.

Chronicle

Term limits prohibited Dockery from running for senate re-election in 2012, so when she was asked to write a column for the political discourse website Florida Voices to share her insights of Florida politics during her last year as a senator, she agreed.

Honors and awards

Name of organizationAwardYear
American Cancer Society FloridaLegislative Award2004
American Cancer Society FloridaLegislative Award2007
Florida League of CitiesLegislative Appreciation Award2007
Florida League of CitiesLegislator of the Year1999
Coastal Conservation Association of FloridaLegislative Conservation Award2001
Coastal Conservation Association of FloridaLegislative Conservation Award2005
Coastal Conservation Association of FloridaLegislative Conservation Award2006
Coastal Conservation Association of FloridaLegislative Conservation Award2007
Florida Chamber of CommerceHonor Roll2006
Florida Chamber of CommerceHonor Roll2007
Green Horizon Land TrustBlazing Star Award2007
Sierra Club Florida ChapterEnvironmental Legislator of the Year2006
Florida Solar Energy Industries AssociationOutstanding Dedication in Securing Florida's Energy Future2006
Florida Chapter of REP AmericaGreen Elephant Award2006
Florida Catholic ConferenceDefender of Life2006
Governing MagazinePublic Official of the Year2005
National Audubon Society Florida chapterTeddy Roosevelt Award2005
National Audubon Society Florida chapterLegislator of the Year2001
School District of Osceola County, FloridaLegislator of the Year Award2005
Enterprise FloridaLegislative Champion Award2005
Florida Local Environmental Resources AgenciesEnvironmental Leadership Award2005
Florida Chiropractic AssociationLegislator of the Year2005
American Water Works Association, FloridaLegislator of the Year2005
Florida Association of CountiesCounty Champion Award2001
Florida Association of CountiesCounty Champion Award2002
Florida Association of CountiesFAC County Champion2005
Florida Chamber of Commerce"A" Honor Roll2002
Florida Chamber of Commerce"A" Honor Roll2004
Florida Chamber of Commerce"A" Honor Roll2005
Florida Ocean AllianceAward of Appreciation2005
Associated Builders and ContractorsFriend of Free Enterprise2005
Florida Wildlife FederationConservation Legislator of the Year2004
Florida Dental Hygiene AssociationSenator of the Year Award2004
Florida Ports CouncilTugboat Award2004
South Florida Water Management DistrictOutstanding Leadership to Protect the Water Resources of South Florida2004
Florida Trucking AssociationSenate Legislator of the Year2004
Sierra Club Florida ChapterCertificate of Recognition2004
The Ounce of Preservation FundCommitment to Florida's Children2003
The Nature ConservancyLeadership Award2000
The Nature ConservancyForever Florida Leadership Award2002
The Trust for Public LandLegislative Leadership Award2001
Central Florida Health CareCommunity Shero1998
Florida Chamber of CommerceTop 40 Legislators1998
Florida Chamber of CommerceTop 40 Legislators1999
Florida Chamber of CommerceTop 40 Legislators2000
Florida Chamber of CommerceTop 40 Legislators2001
Miami HeraldMost Powerful Legislators, #5 House Ranking2001
Florida Parks and Recreation AssociationLegislator of the Year1999
Florida Parks and Recreation AssociationOutstanding Legislator Award2000
Florida Farm BureauLegislator of the Year2000
Florida Cattlemen's AssociationLegislator of the Year2000
Florida Forestry AssociationLegislator of the Year2000
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest"Paula Dockery Trail" Dedication2000
Save Our Lakes of Central FloridaOutstanding Legislator Award2000
Florida State Massage Therapy AssociationPolitician of the Year2000
The Midwives Association of FloridaLegislator of the Year1997
The Midwives Association of FloridaOutstanding Legislator of the Year2000
The Nature Conservancy Florida ChapterPublic Service Award1999
The Theodore Roosevelt SocietyTeddy Award1999
Florida Aquatic Plant Management SocietyPlant Management Award1999
American Advertising FederationJohn Cummins Legislative Award1999
Printing Association of FloridaPaul Revere Award1999
Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Ass'nOutstanding Legislator1999
University of Virginia, Darden Graduate School of Business AdministrationProgram for Emerging Political Leaders Selectee1998
American Advertising Federation 4th DistrictFall on the Sword Award1998
National Federation of Independent BusinessGuardian of Small Business1998
Associated Industries of Florida100% Voting Record for Business1998
Christian Coalition of FloridaFriend of the Family1997
Leadership Central FloridaGraduate1996
Leadership LakelandGraduate1993
Pi Rho Sigma Honor SocietyInducted1986
Outstanding Young Women of AmericaInducted1985