From the Publisher's Note: The state of Florida changed radicaly during Lawton' Chiles lifetime, growing form the thirty-fifth most populous state to the fourth largest. This influx of new residents significantly increased Florida's political influence.
During his four-decade political career in the Florida House of Representatives, the Florida State Senate, the United States Senate, and as a two-term Governor of the state, Lawton Chiled helped Florida deal with the many problems that accompany sudden growth and shaped national policies.