Having been turned down by two potential candidates, including state Senator Van B. Poole, National Congressional Republicans set their eyes on popular Fort Lauderdale mayor, Clay Shaw.

However, Shaw's candidacy received a significant boost when Stack was upset in the Democratic primary by a young Fort Lauderdale lawyer, Allen Becker.

His Democratic opponent was State Senate President Gwen Margolis, who had drawn her home in Dade County into the district.

In March 1992, the Resolute Trust Corporation filed suit against Margolis and other bank directors claiming they approved speculative loans and were responsible for $4.5 million in losses.

Aided by the Democratic presidential ticket of Al Gore and Joe Lieberman, Bloom was making the race competitive.

[clarification needed] In early October it was reported that Bloom served on the board of a Florida pharmaceutical company that was accused of price fixing.

Bloom denied the accusations, yet press reports, including a piece on Nightline, highlighted the price fixing scandal.

His original opponent, Jim Stork, dropped out before the election for medical reasons, but his name remained on the ballot.

[19] Shaw was defeated in the general election by Democratic State Senator Ron Klein, who won by a 51% to 48% margin.

[20] After his 2006 loss, Shaw donated his official Congressional papers (totaling more than 100 linear feet) and memorabilia to his alma mater, Stetson University.

[citation needed] In 2002, the newly constructed 17th Street Causeway bridge reopened to Fort Lauderdale traffic.

[21] Swept into office as part of the Reagan Revolution, Shaw quickly found himself at the center of a national tragedy following the death of 7-year-old constituent Adam Walsh.

The legislation allowed parents access to a central computer file designed to trace missing children.

[23] As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Shaw aggressively supported legislation to fight the war on drugs.

The legislation amended the Civil War-era Posse Comitatus Act which prohibited the military from enforcing civilian laws.

"[26] As a result of the Republican takeover of the United States Congress following the 1994 mid-term elections, Shaw was awarded with his first chairmanship of his Congressional career.

As a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, Shaw was tapped to chair the Human Resources Subcommittee.

This move was significant, for included in the Republican Contract with America was a commitment to reform of the nation's welfare system.

[28] After two presidential vetoes by President Bill Clinton, welfare reform was finally signed into law on August 22, 1996.

[citation needed] Shaw was the second most senior Republican on the House Ways and Means committee at the time he left Congress, having assumed that position after Phil Crane lost in his bid for re-election.

[30] Shortly thereafter the House passed, by a vote of 217–215, the Dominican Republic Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) to open U.S. exports up, duty-free, to the Central American nations of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

President George W. Bush signed the United States-DR-CAFTA Free Trade Agreement on August 3, 2005, with Shaw and other members of Congress present.

The new law allows seniors ages 65 to 69 to continue working without the fear of losing their Social Security benefits.

In 2003, following lung cancer surgery, Shaw, along with Minnesota Congressman Colin Peterson, founded the House 2015 Caucus.

[citation needed] In 2007, following his departure from Congress, Shaw provided his entire Congressional collection to his alma mater, Stetson University.