Buddy MacKay

Buddy MacKay
Official portrait, 1991
United States Special Envoy for the Americas
In office
March 5, 1999 – January 20, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byMack McLarty
Succeeded byOtto Reich
42nd Governor of Florida
In office
December 12, 1998 – January 5, 1999
LieutenantVacant
Preceded byLawton Chiles
Succeeded byJeb Bush
14th Lieutenant Governor of Florida
In office
January 8, 1991 – December 12, 1998
GovernorLawton Chiles
Preceded byBobby Brantley
Succeeded byFrank Brogan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 6th district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1989
Preceded byBill Young
Succeeded byCliff Stearns
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 6th district
In office
November 5, 1974 – November 4, 1980
Preceded byJim Williams
Succeeded byGeorge G. Kirkpatrick Jr.
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
November 5, 1968 – November 5, 1974
Preceded byBill Chappell
Succeeded byWayne C. McCall
Constituency30th district (1968–1972)
32nd district (1972–1974)
Personal details
Born
Kenneth Hood MacKay Jr.

(1933-03-22) March 22, 1933 (age 91)
Ocala, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Anne Selph
(m. 1960)
Children4
EducationUniversity of Florida (BS, BA, LLB)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Air Force
Years of service1955–1958
RankCaptain

Kenneth Hood "Buddy" MacKay Jr. (born March 22, 1933) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 42nd governor of Florida from December 12, 1998, to January 5, 1999, upon the death of Lawton Chiles. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 14th lieutenant governor of Florida from 1991 to 1998. During his career, he also served as a state legislator and as a United States representative and special envoy. Following the death of Bob Graham in 2024, MacKay is the only living former Democratic governor of Florida.