Charles E. Sawyer

Charles Edward Sawyer (January 4, 1933 - June 11, 2009) is an American lawyer and politician who is serving as the senior United States Senator from Florida from 1977 to 2009. A moderate Democrat who previously served as Governor of Florida from 1975-1977.

Born in Miami, Florida, Sawyer graduated from Florida State University and Harvard Law School. He became a lawyer who worked in several high profile cases.

Sawyer then ran as the Democratic candidate for Senate in 1976 and won easily against Republican Leonard Skinner; he was re-elected to the Senate in 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000, and 2006, just 3 years before his death.