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|rank=[[Colonel]]}}
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'''George Armistead Smathers''' (November 14, 1913 – January 20, 2007) was a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[United States Senator]] for [[Florida]] from 1951 to 1969 and a [[U.S. Representative]] from 1947 to 1951. He is probably most remembered for his close friendships with political giants [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], and [[Richard M. Nixon]]. Like Kennedy of [[Massachusetts]] and Nixon of [[California]], Smathers was elected to the House in 1946 and like Nixon the Senate in 1950. He was the only non-family member in Kennedy's wedding to [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]]. In 1960, Smathers managed the Kennedy-Johnson campaign in Florida, but victory went to Nixon, who won Florida in all three of his presidential campaigns. Smathers sold vacation property in Key Biscayne to Nixon and introduced Nixon to his close confidant [[Bebe Rebozo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2020/02/25/george-smathers-jfk-lbj-and-nixon/|title=George Smathers, JFK, LBJ, and Nixon|publisher=The Florida Squeeze|date=February 25, 2020|author=Kartik Krishnaiyer|accessdate=February 27, 2021}}</ref>
'''George Armistead Smathers''' (November 14, 1913 – January 20, 2007) was a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[United States Senator]] for [[Florida]] from 1951 to 1969 and a [[U.S. Representative]] from 1947 to 1951. He is probably most remembered for his close friendships with political giants [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], and [[Richard M. Nixon]]. Like Kennedy of [[Massachusetts]] and Nixon of [[California]], Smathers was elected to the House in 1946 and like Nixon the Senate in 1950. He was the only non-family member in Kennedy's wedding to [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]]. In 1960, Smathers managed the Kennedy-Johnson campaign in Florida, but victory went to Nixon, who won Florida in all three of his presidential campaigns. Smathers sold vacation property in Key Biscayne to Nixon and introduced Nixon to his close confidant Bebe Rebozo]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2020/02/25/george-smathers-jfk-lbj-and-nixon/|title=George Smathers, JFK, LBJ, and Nixon|publisher=The Florida Squeeze|date=February 25, 2020|author=Kartik Krishnaiyer|accessdate=February 27, 2021}}</ref>
Smathers was born in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]], the son of Benjamin Franklin Smathers and the former Lura Frances Jones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/families/11033.html|title=The Political Graveyard: Smathers family of Miami, Florida|author=Lawrence Kestenbaum|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=February 26, 2021}}</ref> The Smathers family moved to New Jersey from western [[North Carolina]]. Frank Smathers served as a state judge in New Jersey and his brother, William Howell Smathers (1891-1955), represented New Jersey in the U. S. Senate as a Democrat from 1937 to 1943.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7803071/william-howell-smathers|title=William Howell Smathers|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=February 26, 2021}}</ref> Frank Smathers moved his family to [[Miami]], Florida, when George Smathers was six years of age. there he attended Miami High School before earning his bachelor's and law degrees from the [[University of Florida]] at Gainesville. Smathers captained the Florida Gators [[basketball]] team, ran track, and was the lead member of the university debate team. In 1936, he was elected without opposition as the student body president. Smathers was inducted into both the University’s Student Hall of Fame and the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame].<ref>''The Gainesville Sun, April 4, 1991, p. 8C</ref>
Smathers was born in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]], the son of Benjamin Franklin Smathers and the former Lura Frances Jones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/families/11033.html|title=The Political Graveyard: Smathers family of Miami, Florida|author=Lawrence Kestenbaum|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=February 26, 2021}}</ref> The Smathers family moved to New Jersey from western [[North Carolina]]. Frank Smathers served as a state judge in New Jersey and his brother, William Howell Smathers (1891-1955), represented New Jersey in the U. S. Senate as a Democrat from 1937 to 1943.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7803071/william-howell-smathers|title=William Howell Smathers|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=February 26, 2021}}</ref> Frank Smathers moved his family to [[Miami]], Florida, when George Smathers was six years of age. there he attended Miami High School before earning his bachelor's and law degrees from the [[University of Florida]] at Gainesville. Smathers captained the Florida Gators [[basketball]] team, ran track, and was the lead member of the university debate team. In 1936, he was elected without opposition as the student body president. Smathers was inducted into both the University’s Student Hall of Fame and the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame].<ref>''The Gainesville Sun, April 4, 1991, p. 8C</ref>