Joseph Gibbons (Florida politician)

Gibbons was born in New York City and attended Calvin College, where he graduated with a degree in general studies in 1970. After graduation, he attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, from which he received a Master of Public Administration in 1974. He then worked for IBM as a salesman for eight years, receiving the IBM 100% Club Presidency for his high sales achievements. He moved to Florida in 1994 and started the Gibbons Consulting Group, of which he is the President. Gibbons served as a Hallandale Beach City Commissioner from 2003 to 2006, when he was elected to the legislature.

When incumbent State Representative Kenneth A. Gottlieb was unable to seek re-election in 2006, Gibbons ran to succeed him in the 105th District, which stretched from Pembroke Pines to Hallandale Beach in southern Broward County. In the Democratic primary, Gibbons narrowly defeated Henry Rose by 331 votes, and was uncontested in the general election. He was re-elected without opposition in 2008 and 2010.

In 2012, following the redistricting process, Gibbons was redrawn into the 100th District, which included his home in Hallandale Beach and stretched from Fort Lauderdale in Broward to Indian Creek. Gibbons was opposed in the Democratic primary by Sheldon Lisbon, a former Surfside Town Commissioner and son of Holocaust survivors. During the course of the campaign, Lisbon sent out a controversial campaign email that said, "[District 100] is primarily a Jewish district that composed of residents like us," which contrasted with the fact that Gibbons is African-American.^[1] The Anti-Defamation League blasted Lisbon for the email, which they called "divisive" and "contrary to the ideal of including all Americans in the political process."^[2] Gibbons ultimately defeated Lisbon in the primary, winning 55% of the vote to Lisbon's 45%. In the general election, Gibbons was elected to his final term in the House unopposed once again.