Florida State Rep. Jennifer Carroll is making the news today, as the conservative Republican was selected as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor (watch the announcement here):
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| Ms. Carroll, with Mr. Scott |
Republican nominee for governor Rick Scott has chosen a running mate. State Rep. Jennifer Carroll, the first black, female Republican elected to the Florida Legislature, said she will join Mr. Scott on the ticket as his choice for lieutenant governor. Analysts said the northern Florida legislator would help geographically balance out the ticket with Mr. Scott, who resides in southern Florida.
State Rep. Carroll states on her Facebook page: "I want to thank Rick Scott for the opportunity to join him in this race as his pick for Lt. Governor. Rick and I share core conservative principles like lower taxes, less regulation, and smaller government, and I believe Floridians are ready to elect a conservative outsider with private sector experience and a plan to create 700,000 jobs."
Why Did Rick Scott Pick Jennifer Carroll As His Running Mate?Michael C. Bender of the Palm Beach Post writes: "After winning the Republican nomination for governor, Rick Scott told confidantes that he wanted a female running mate with a strong law enforcement-type background. He found her in state Rep. Jennifer Carroll, a Jacksonville-area Republican who is the former secretary of the Florida Veteran Affairs Department. According to her Florida House bio, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1979 and served for 20 years. (Scott is also a Navy veteran — he served on active duty aboard the USS Glover as a radar man.) Carroll worked as a jet mechanic and retired as a Lieutenant Commander Aviation Maintenance Officer with the Meritorious Service Medal; two Navy Commendation Medals; two Navy Achievement Medals; National Defense Service Medal; Overseas Ribbon; two Coast Guard Special Operation Ribbons; and the Expert Pistol Medal."
More: "Carroll, the second African-American woman picked as a Republican lieutenant governor nominee, helps balance the ticket for Scott. Scott is running against Democrat Alex Sink, who is trying to be the state’s first female governor."
Steve Bousquet of the Miami Herald writes: "In choosing Carroll, Scott, himself a Navy veteran, would get a woman with a distinctive personal story who could neutralize the gender appeal of his Democratic opponent, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink:










































