Adam Putnam
Adam Putnam | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2011 | |
| 11th Florida Commissioner of Agriculture | |
| In office January 4, 2011 – January 8, 2019 | |
| Governor | Rick Scott |
| Preceded by | Charles Bronson |
| Succeeded by | Nikki Fried |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Leader | John Boehner |
| Vice Chair | Kay Granger |
| Preceded by | Deborah Pryce |
| Succeeded by | Mike Pence |
| Chair of the House Republican Policy Committee | |
| In office February 1, 2006 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Leader | Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | John Shadegg |
| Succeeded by | Thad McCotter |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 12th district | |
| In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Canady |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Ross |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 63rd district | |
| In office November 5, 1996 – November 7, 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Dean Saunders |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Ross |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Adam Hughes Putnam July 31, 1974 Bartow, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Melissa Putnam |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Sarah Hughes Putnam William Dudley Putnam II |
| Education | University of Florida (BS) |
| Website | Official website |
Adam Hughes Putnam (born July 31, 1974) is an American politician and conservationist who served as the 11th Florida commissioner of agriculture from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives for five terms, representing the Central Florida-based 12th congressional district from 2001 to 2011.
Born and raised in Bartow, Florida to a Florida cracker family, Putnam graduated from the University of Florida in 1996. That same year, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives at the age of 22, the youngest person ever elected to the Florida Legislature. After the retirement of Charles Canady in 2000, Putnam was elected to the United States Congress at the age of 26, serving as Baby of the House from 2001 to 2005. He later chaired the House Republican Policy Committee from 2006 to 2007 and the House Republican Conference from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, Putnam was elected to the Florida Cabinet as state agriculture commissioner and was re-elected in 2014.
In May 2017, Putnam announced his candidacy for Governor of Florida in the 2018 election. He was initially considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, but lost the primary to then-Congressman Ron DeSantis. DeSantis went on to win the general election against Tallahassee mayor and Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum.
Since 2019, Putnam has been the CEO of Ducks Unlimited.