Gov. Rick Scott may be all about “jobs, jobs, jobs,” but there’s one job he is taking his time to fill — Lieutenant Governor. And that is just fine with Jack Latvala.
Latvala, the Republican state Senator from Clearwater, likes the governor’s tactic, according to Steve Bousquet in the Tampa Bay Times.
“I fully support the cautious approach he’s taking to fill the job,” Latvala told the Times. “I have no second thoughts and am not second-guessing him on the way he’s doing it.”
Scott has been silent about the search for a second-in-command, a job vacant since the resignation of Jennifer Carroll on March 12. Scott refused to give details on the search during public events Wednesday in Tampa and Orlando.
Latvala believes that in the search for a new LG, Scott is looking for a team member who will keep his policies, rather than someone balancing the ticket for his 2014 re-election campaign.
Although Latvala’s name has been floated for the LG spot, he downplays those rumors by saying how much he loves being a state Senator, talking instead of his 2016 ambitions.
“I intend to be Senate president,” Latvala told reporters. “It isn’t something I would give a bit of thought to.”
“I ‘m a great supporter of the governor,” he added. “I’m a great admirer of his. I really like the guy personally, and I think he’s getting better every day.”
