![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Robert_L_F_Sikes.jpg/640px-Robert_L_F_Sikes.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Bob Sikes
American politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This section is about the congressman. For the airport named after him, see Bob Sikes Airport. For other uses, see Bob Sykes (disambiguation).
Robert Lee Fulton Sikes (June 3, 1906 – September 28, 1994) was an American politician of the Democratic Party who represented the Florida Panhandle in the United States House of Representatives from 1941 to 1979, with a brief break in 1944 and 1945 for service during World War II.
Quick Facts Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida, Preceded by ...
Bob Sikes | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida | |
In office January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1979 | |
Preceded by | Himself |
Succeeded by | Earl Hutto |
Constituency | 3rd district (1945–1963) 1st district (1963–1979) |
In office January 3, 1941 – October 19, 1944 | |
Preceded by | Millard Caldwell |
Succeeded by | Himself |
Constituency | 3rd district |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives | |
In office 1937–1941 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Robert Lee Fulton Sikes (1906-06-03)June 3, 1906 Isabella Station, Georgia, U.S. (now Sylvester) |
Died | September 28, 1994(1994-09-28) (aged 88) Crestview, Florida, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouses | Mildred Tyner
(m. 1949; div. 1983)Joan Thomas Dunning
(m. 1983–1994) |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of Georgia (BS) University of Florida (MS) |
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Years of service | 1944 |
Rank | Major |
Unit | U.S. Army Air Corps |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Close
He served during a long period in which Florida was effectively a one-party state dominated by Democrats, as the Republican Party had been weakened by the disfranchisement of African Americans by racist policies and Jim Crow laws. The Republican Party began a resurgence in the 1970s.
In 1975 Sikes was accused by Common Cause of financial misconduct and was investigated and censured by the House in 1976. He did not seek re-election in 1978.