Jan Barrow
From Ballotpedia
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Jan Barrow (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 40. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Barrow completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jan Barrow was born in Show Low, Arizona. She earned an associate degree from Okaloosa Walton Junior College in 1984 and a bachelor's degree from Florida Southern College in 1998. Barrow's career experience includes working as a director of corporate and business development.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Florida House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Florida House of Representatives District 40
Incumbent Colleen Burton defeated Jan Barrow and Emily Michie in the general election for Florida House of Representatives District 40 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Colleen Burton (R) | 56.7 | 45,004 |
 | Jan Barrow (D)  | 39.8 | 31,555 | |
 | Emily Michie (No Party Affiliation) | 3.5 | 2,786 | |
| Total votes: 79,345 | |||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Jan Barrow advanced from the Democratic primary for Florida House of Representatives District 40.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Gregory Williams (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Colleen Burton advanced from the Republican primary for Florida House of Representatives District 40.
Endorsements
To view Barrow's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jan Barrow completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Barrow's responses.
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I've called Lakeland my home since 1986 when I relocated here from the Florida Panhandle. Graduating from Florida Southern College, I earned a business administration degree in 1998. I have more than 35 years of professional experience with 20 years in executive management and leadership positions. I am a current member of the American Resort Development Association and hold a Registered Resort Professional designation, as well as a Florida Real Estate License and Florida Community Association Manager's License.
- Unite Lakeland to give the people a voice in Tallahassee.
- Create a fair and just system for all have access to opportunity and an equal chance of success. The goal is to reward those who work hard equitably.
- It's time to fix Florida's broken education and unemployment systems.
The neglect of Florida's infrastructure, systems, and emergency response systems.
Education.
Environment.
Tax policy.
Jobs and the economy.
Providing seniors and the underserved access to services.
Quality medical care for all.
There are a lot of people that I look to for inspiration. However, if having to make a choice of only one, my Grandmother is my favorite role model. She was a business woman owning a small restaurant circa 1918, fought for women's rights, marched with MLK, always gave to those who had less, stood for equal rights, and she earned the position of department head overseeing the State of Alabama's map room. This type of achievement was rare for women of her generation. My Grandmother had a great sense of humor, loved to laugh, and always took time to love me providing many fun times, games, and support.
In recent years, I think Michelle Obama's book "Becoming" is one of the more inspirational books that I've read.
Integrity and fortitude to do the right thing and the willingness to make tough decisions even if it means risking high-dollar donors. The desire to serve the people should be the main driver to seek office and being altruistic is certainly helpful.
I have always been filled with passion for my country, state, and community. I love helping people and making a difference. As the daughter of a World War II Vet, I hold my father's values at my core. Civic duty, service to others, honoring those who've served our country, respect for the environment, the importance of education, and the significance of the working and middle classes are fundamental to my principles. My grandmother, an independent woman and part of the suffrage movement, spoke often about the importance of ethics and integrity. She was a key influence and my grandmother taught me strength should be balanced by benevolence, women were capable, self-sufficiency was the basis of independence, and women made great leaders.
As a single parent I raised my son without benefit of child support, and know first-hand the struggles associated not earning enough to make ends meet. I worked full-time, but my income was inadequate to meet the basic needs - food, shelter, utilities, and healthcare - so I took on a second job to make ends meet. During those years, I learned that no matter how often I showed up with a positive attitude, no matter how many hours I worked, it was not enough. After five years of working two jobs and raising my son, I returned to college. I fought hard to graduate with a business administration degree from Florida Southern College.
To serve the people and preserve Florida's way of life, as well as being good stewards of their tax dollars making prudent decisions that benefits the people and serves Florida's future. Understanding that you are elected to help all your constituents despite their political affiliations, personal beliefs, backgrounds, or who they love.
When people speak of me long after I'm gone, I would them to say she did everything in her power to keep Florida a great place to live, she loved her community, and she did as much as she could for as many as she could - and never gave up. And, when my granddaughter remembers me, I hope she does so in the same terms as I remember my grandmother - with love, respect, and admiration for my accomplishments. That is the legacy I'd like to leave.
I was six years old, I watched my Mother cry over Robert Kennedy's assassination as she saw his train on the nightly news travel across the country bringing his body home. My Mom explained to me then that a man had been killed and it was a great loss for our nation. The sad images on the TV of pained faces and tears of those that came out to pay their respects were profoundly moving to me as a child. Although I was too young to understand the gravity of the circumstances, I felt the pain. A year later, Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon in 1969 lifted America's hearts bringing inspiration and hope for a brighter future. Somehow I understood then the resilience of the American spirit. I think today, as the greatest nation on earth, we are looking forward to a similar turn around and to reclaim our exceptionalism.
Prior to landing my first professional job, I always worked and was enterprising. As a kid, I delivered newspapers and babysat - a lot! I waited tables, sold flowers, cleaned hotel rooms, worked the front desk, and worked in offices. After I moved to Lakeland, I found a job at FlightSaftey International. My ten-year career with FlightSafety started as an administrative assistant. I received a few promotions eventually ending up as the center's Product Marketing Manager for the ab initio flight training program and Piper aircraft training programs. To review my professional history, please go to my LinkedIn Profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-barrow-38b9235
I don't have a favorite book - the last book that I read was Ezra Klein's "Why We Are Polarized.
Princess Leia or Wonder Woman
Sunday Bloody Sunday ... John Lewis passed away last night. Otherwise it could be anything from Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head or Whatever It Takes or Super Brother Hero.
There are many struggles that I've had over the years. I rose out of poverty to become a successful parent and business leader. I was a single parent without child support and raised my son with only help from friends and the community. I've lived the challenges of being part of the sandwich generation where I've cared for parents and helped with my grandchild. While I've struggled and fought hard, I've managed to succeed because I never give up and never give in to defeat.
The terms that they serve, and the number of constituents that the two houses represent are one of the primary differences. State senators, on average, represent three times as many people as representatives do, which means that the representatives tend to be more hands on when resolving constituent issues. The senate confirms the governors cabinet and appointments which is significant difference. Both house work together to create or amend laws.
Experience matters, but said experience is not limited to politics or government, but broad experience of working and living in the communities that lawmakers serve is valuable. Many who enter into politics have lived side-by-side with their constituents and come from leadership roles in the community making them understand what is needed and how the people feel. The number one element that matters the most for any public servant is the understanding that they are sent to the state capitol to serve all people and to govern justly. Far too often, some politicians, whether new or seasoned are seeking public office for personal gains as opposed to the desire to serve. Of late, some politicians seem intent to catering to only their voters, and have forgotten that they are in office to serve the greater good.
Florida's infrastructure from emergency management, healthcare, education, unemployment, transportation and more have been gutted to the breaking point. We need to have leaders who possess the fortitude, the vision and the courage to take on the challenges brought on by the last 20 years of myopic thinking which the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified. We must take this tragic time and capitalize on the opportunity to fortify or recreate our systems, and bring Florida's economy back looking to our traditional industries, as well as creating the higher paying jobs of the future in evolving industries and renewable energy.
I believe that government works best when all the people are represented. The legislature and governor should hold true to the belief that they are there to serve the people. Having a diverse legislature benefits the act of governing most effectively. The ideal relationship between all, governor and legislature or otherwise, would be one of robust, respectful debate representing all people, all walks of life, diverse views, with the goal resulting in decisions and laws that beneficial the state and not just special interest groups or large dollar donors. The art of compromise, the art of true governing seems to be a lost in our current political divide costing progress and results for the people often times turning the clock back to the past.
Yes, relationships are invaluable. We have to learn to work together, to compromise, and to return dignity and respect to governing.
Non-partisan redistricting determined by a committee with equal representation from all major parties to include registered independents or non-party affiliation members is the most fair way to determine districts and to draw the lines.
Ways and Means Committee
Education Committee
Appropriations Committee
In my first term, I would like to shadow a leader or two to learn best practices of legislature leadership. I think in my second term, I would be more than comfortable and qualified to join the leadership.
That is a hard one. I personally like many and tend learn from many instead of just one.
My focus on Lakeland and Florida. I want to serve the people to help get our state back on the right track. Serving the constituents of Lakeland is my goal and there is much work to be done. I am concentrating on doing that work, and doing as much good for as many as I can in Lakeland for the foreseeable future.
The other day I met with an educator from an at-risk school. She was torn and tired from the cuts to public education and the immediate impacts those cuts were having on underserved students and the long-term consequences to our society. The teacher detailed for me how 20 years of continual cuts to public education and diverting those funds to for-profit schools (based on a formula that only those with an advanced math degree could possibly comprehend) are having our state's children, especially those children who are significantly underserved. She was frustrated with the lack of empathy from our lawmakers, as well as their inability to understand how today's decisions are impacting the lives of these children for years to come. Her frustration and pain were exacerbated by our state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on the underserved communities and particularly her school. Her concern was not for her pay, not for her. It was for the children and their suffering - for their health. Her dedication and commitment to the children was moving further convincing me that we need to elect lawmakers who have the vision and understanding that our children should not be profit centers for the wealthy, public companies to make a margin.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 18, 2020
Current members of the Florida House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Daniel Perez
Majority Leader:Tyler Sirois
Minority Leader:Fentrice Driskell
Representatives
District 1
Michelle Salzman (R)
District 2
Alex Andrade (R)
District 3
Nathan Boyles (R)
District 4
District 5
Shane Abbott (R)
District 6
Philip Griffitts (R)
District 7
Jason Shoaf (R)
District 8
Gallop Franklin (D)
District 9
Allison Tant (D)
District 10
Chuck Brannan (R)
District 11
Sam Garrison (R)
District 12
Wyman Duggan (R)
District 13
Angela Nixon (D)
District 14
Kimberly Daniels (D)
District 15
Dean Black (R)
District 16
Kiyan Michael (R)
District 17
Jessica Baker (R)
District 18
Kim Kendall (R)
District 19
Sam Greco (R)
District 20
Judson Sapp (R)
District 21
Yvonne Hinson (D)
District 22
Chad Johnson (R)
District 23
J.J. Grow (R)
District 24
Ryan Chamberlin (R)
District 25
Taylor Yarkosky (R)
District 26
Nan Cobb (R)
District 27
Richard Gentry (R)
District 28
Bill Partington (R)
District 29
Webster Barnaby (R)
District 30
Chase Tramont (R)
District 31
Tyler Sirois (R)
District 32
Brian Hodgers (R)
District 33
Monique Miller (R)
District 34
Robert Brackett (R)
District 35
Erika Booth (R)
District 36
Rachel Plakon (R)
District 37
Susan Plasencia (R)
District 38
David Smith (R)
District 39
Doug Bankson (R)
District 40
RaShon Young (D)
District 41
Bruce Antone (D)
District 42
Anna Eskamani (D)
District 43
Johanna López (D)
District 44
Jennifer Harris (D)
District 45
Leonard Spencer (D)
District 46
Jose Alvarez (D)
District 47
Paula Stark (R)
District 48
Jon Albert (R)
District 49
District 50
Jennifer Canady (R)
District 51
Josie Tomkow (R)
District 52
Vacant
District 53
Jeff Holcomb (R)
District 54
Randy Maggard (R)
District 55
Kevin Steele (R)
District 56
Brad Yeager (R)
District 57
Adam Anderson (R)
District 58
District 59
Berny Jacques (R)
District 60
Lindsay Cross (D)
District 61
Linda Chaney (R)
District 62
Michele Rayner (D)
District 63
Dianne Hart (D)
District 64
Susan Valdes (R)
District 65
District 66
Traci Koster (R)
District 67
District 68
Lawrence McClure (R)
District 69
Danny Alvarez (R)
District 70
Michael Owen (R)
District 71
Will Robinson (R)
District 72
Bill Conerly (R)
District 73
Fiona McFarland (R)
District 74
James Buchanan (R)
District 75
Danny Nix (R)
District 76
Vanessa Oliver (R)
District 77
Tiffany Esposito (R)
District 78
District 79
District 80
Adam Botana (R)
District 81
Yvette Benarroch (R)
District 82
Lauren Melo (R)
District 83
Kaylee Tuck (R)
District 84
Dana Trabulsy (R)
District 85
Toby Overdorf (R)
District 86
John Snyder (R)
District 87
Vacant
District 88
Jervonte Edmonds (D)
District 89
Debra Tendrich (D)
District 90
Rob Long (D)
District 91
District 92
Kelly Skidmore (D)
District 93
Anne Gerwig (R)
District 94
Meg Weinberger (R)
District 95
District 96
Dan Daley (D)
District 97
Lisa Dunkley (D)
District 98
Mitch Rosenwald (D)
District 99
Daryl Campbell (D)
District 100
Chip LaMarca (R)
District 101
Hillary Cassel (R)
District 102
Michael Gottlieb (D)
District 103
Robin Bartleman (D)
District 104
District 105
Marie Woodson (D)
District 106
Fabián Basabe (R)
District 107
Wallace Aristide (D)
District 108
Dotie Joseph (D)
District 109
Ashley Gantt (D)
District 110
Tom Fabricio (R)
District 111
David Borrero (R)
District 112
Alex Rizo (R)
District 113
Vacant
District 114
District 115
Omar Blanco (R)
District 116
Daniel Perez (R)
District 117
Kevin Chambliss (D)
District 118
Mike Redondo (R)
District 119
District 120
Jim Mooney (R)
Republican Party (84)
Democratic Party (33)
Vacancies (3)
