Tom Slade was a titan in Florida politics, an iron-fisted leader who catapulted the Republican Party of Florida back into power in the late 1990s.
He helped shape the political career of Jeb Bush, mentored many of today’s leaders and strategists, and was a powerbroker who raised staggering amounts of money statewide and in Duval County.
Slade, 78, died Monday at Orange Park Medical Center, where he was admitted last week.
A news release said he died of heart failure.
When Slade took over as state Republican party chairman in 1993, there were Democrats in the governor’s office and Cabinet positions. Democrats also dominated the House. (The Senate was split evenly between the two parties.)
By 1998, the party’s fortune had turned. Bush was in the governor’s mansion and Republicans controlled the Cabinet and Legislature.
Mike Hightower, who recently retired as a lobbyist with Florida Blue, said Slade resurrected the party “by sheer will, grit, commitment, force of personality and a couple of four-letter words.”
He described his friend’s brash leadership style as a mix of Gen. George Patton, Winston Churchill, Attila the Hun and Alexander the Great.
Slade knew where he wanted to go and he knew how he was going to get there, Hightower said.
“There was no question,” he said. “We were going to become the majority party.”
Bush released a statement praising Slade’s work as chairman, which he said continues to yield results today.
“Capitalizing on the important work of his predecessors, Tom built a state party that is second to none, and this historical era of Republican electoral triumphs and policy achievements is rooted in the work and legacy of Tom Slade,” Bush said.
Early in Michael Munz’s career, he served as Slade’s political director. He said Slade taught him many lessons, including about message delivery, voter targeting, turnout and staying focused on what matters in a campaign.
There also was a lesson about fundraising, which Munz recalled Monday night.
A candidate, who Munz wouldn’t name for the story, came to see Slade in the 1990s and ultimately found the courage to ask for a $100 donation, even though the maximum was $1,000. Slade gave the candidate the $100 donation, then showed him a prewritten check for $1,000 that was in his desk drawer.
The lesson: Don’t leave money on the table because you’re afraid to ask.
“You could get a Ph.D in politics from him,” Munz said.
He was impressed by what he called Slade’s sixth sense, including when it came to handpicking less-than-obvious candidates. Among those choices were Frank Brogan, who was elected education commissioner, and Joe Scarborough, who was a Florida congressman long before becoming a television talk show host.
“His brain politically was just so amazingly wired,” Munz said.
Party unity was important to Slade, who fought to avoid primary battles between Republicans. He didn’t want Republican money being used against other Republicans, Hightower said.
In 1994, when there was a primary in the governor’s race, Munz said Slade had the four candidates — including Bush and Ander Crenshaw — sign a code of conduct.
“Tom Slade was committed to not having a Republican circular firing squad,” Munz said.
Also important to Slade was making sure candidates appreciated the efforts of campaign workers. Hightower said Slade would tell officials they “better remember who brought you to the dance.”
“If he ever found out someone who was part of the process was not given access, trust me, all you had to do is make one phone call. You never had to worry about it a second time,” Hightower said.
Loyalty was everything to Slade. He gave it to the party, the candidates and the campaign workers, Hightower said. And he expected it back.
“If you crossed him or lied to him or had been disingenuous with him, you only did it once,” Hightower said. “He took no prisoners and he kept score.”
Slade returned home to lead the Duval County Republican party from 2001-03. Hightower succeeded him.
Toni Crawford, who also served as chair of the Duval party, said Slade “made his mark on politics in Duval County and he made his mark on politics in the state.”
“He was a great politician,” she said. “It’s the closing of an era, for sure.”
Slade began his political career in the Legislature, where he served in both the House and Senate. Munz said Slade was critical in getting Jacksonville’s consolidated government approved in Tallahassee.
In 1970, while he was a candidate for state treasurer, Slade was involved in a plane crash with C.W. Bill Young, who later became a longtime congressman.
Last year, Slade told The News Service of Florida he kicked out an emergency door and helped get his wife, Young and the pilot out. He said Young had crashed into the windshield.
“It was like somebody cut his head open with an axe,” Slade told the news service. “I don’t see how he lived through it. The pilot had 70-some fractures and broke both his legs backwards.”
Slade also was known as a great storyteller, able to captivate an audience with his folksy spin.
“God, he told some amazingly funny stories,” Munz said.
Hightower said he saw Slade several months ago when Slade surprised him at an event Hightower was hosting.
“I opened the door and there was that bellowed laugh,” Hightower said.
They talked for a while, then both mingled with others at the gathering.
“The next thing I knew, he had left,” Hightower said.
He hadn’t seen his longtime friend since.
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