Robert Wexler
A Florida congressman who became a forceful advocate for Middle East peace, leveraging his political skill for persistent diplomacy.
Born 1961 (age 65)·American politician·Birthday: January 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Robert Wexler's political career was defined by a sharp legal mind, a deep commitment to his South Florida district, and a passionate, sometimes fiery, advocacy for Israel and Middle East peace. Elected to the House of Representatives in 1996, he quickly earned a reputation as a fierce partisan and a skilled debater, unafraid to challenge Republicans during the Clinton impeachment proceedings. His focus, however, steadily broadened from domestic politics to international diplomacy. Wexler served as a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where his knowledge and relationships made him a significant voice on U.S.-Israel policy. In a surprising mid-career move, he resigned from Congress in 2010 to lead the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, shifting from lawmaker to full-time diplomat. In this role, he has worked quietly behind the scenes, fostering dialogue between Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab leaders, arguing that a two-state solution is both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity for American interests.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Robert was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Robert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 19th congressional district for seven terms, from 1997 to 2010.
- Played a key role on the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings of President Bill Clinton.
- Became President of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, focusing on track-two diplomacy after leaving Congress.
- Was a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, specializing in U.S.-Israel relations and Middle East policy.
- Co-founded the Congressional Indonesia Caucus to strengthen ties between the U.S. and the world's largest Muslim-majority country.
Did You Know?
He was the first Jewish congressman ever elected from Palm Beach County, Florida.
He gained minor fame for a 2006 incident where he jokingly asked for a 'million dollars' on C-SPAN, which was misinterpreted by some viewers.
He authored the book 'Fire-Breathing Liberal: How I Learned to Survive (and Thrive) in the Contact Sport of Congress.'
He resigned from Congress before his term ended to take the leadership role at the Middle East peace center.
“The truth is not always polite, but it must always be told.”
