 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(March 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Andy Ireland | |
|---|---|
 Ireland in 1976 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1993 | |
| Preceded by | James A. Haley |
| Succeeded by | Charles T. Canady (Redistricting) |
| Constituency | 8th district (1977–1983) 10th district (1983–1993) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Andy Poysell Ireland (1930-08-23)August 23, 1930 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 20, 2024(2024-10-20) (aged 94) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (1984–2024) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (until 1984) |
| Alma mater | Yale University Columbia University Louisiana State University |
Andrew Poysell Ireland (August 23, 1930 – October 20, 2024) was an American banker and politician fromFlorida. He served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993. He served eight terms, first as aDemocrat, then as aRepublican after switching parties in 1984.
Born to a wealthy family inCincinnati, Ohio, he attended a private school within the city. He finished his high school career atPhillips Academy inAndover, Massachusetts. Ireland earned his undergraduate degree in business atYale University and did graduate studies atColumbia University. Ireland joinedBarnett National Bank inJacksonville, Florida, in 1954, and in 1962 he became the president, chairman andchief executive officer of American National Bank ofWinter Haven, Florida. From 1968 to 1970, Ireland served as a member of the board of theFederal Reserve Bank inAtlanta.
Ireland died inSarasota, Florida, on October 20, 2024, at the age of 94.[1][2]
Ireland became involved in politics in 1966, when he successfully ran for the position of Winter Haven city commissioner. In 1981, he served as a delegate to theUnited Nations.
Ireland was elected as aDemocrat to the95th United States Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses. On March 17, 1984, however, he announced that he had become aRepublican, with his party switch becoming official on July 8. He had been one of the more conservative Democrats in the Florida delegation, and had become increasingly uncomfortable with the leftward bent of the national party; in a speech announcing his switch, he said, "I didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me." Even before his switch, Ireland had worn his party ties so loosely thatSpeakerTip O'Neill mused that Ireland "wasn't much of a Democrat anyway." Future Republican National Committee chairmanEd Gillespie, who was a staffer in Ireland's office at the time and switched parties soon after his boss, said that he and Ireland were classic examples ofReagan Democrats who became Republicans–"a southern conservative and a young northeastern ethnic Catholic who no longer felt comfortable in the party of their heritage." All but a few of Ireland's staffers stayed on after the switch, though some of them remained Democrats.[3]
Ireland was reelected as a Republican to the99th United States Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses. He served in theUnited States House of Representatives from January 3, 1977, to January 3, 1993, before retiring.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 8th congressional district 1977–1983 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 10th congressional district 1983–1993 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
  | This article about a Florida politician is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
