Richard Machek

Machek was born in Samsula, Florida, and graduated from Seacrest High School, later attending Palm Beach Junior College.^[1] He served in the U.S. Army for six months, and then five and a half years thereafter in the reserves,^[2] and began working at Mazzoni Farms, eventually managing the farm's production.^[1] Machek was elected to the Palm Beach County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, and in 1995, was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to the South Florida Water Management District Board of Governors.^[3]

In 2000, Democratic State Representative Rick Minton was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Machek ran to succeed him in the 78th district, a heavily agricultural district that included parts of Highlands, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach County, and St. Lucie, stretching from Delray Beach to Fort Pierce and Sebring. He faced former St. Lucie County Administrator Thomas Kindred in the Democratic primary,^[1] which was opened to all voters because no other candidates filed for the race.^[4] Machek narrowly defeated Kindred,^[5] winning 53 percent of the vote to his 47 percent.^[6]

Machek was unopposed for re-election in 2002^[7] and 2004.^[8]

In 2006, Machek was challenged in the Democratic primary by chiropractor Steve Perman, who entered the race with the support of Democratic State Representative Irving Slosberg, an intraparty rival of Machek's.^[9] Machek ultimately defeated Perman by a narrow margin, winning renomination with 54 percent of the vote to Perman's 46 percent.^[10] No other candidates filed for the race, and Machek won the general election unopposed.^[11]