Responding to speculation that Barbara Jenkins, the superintendent of Orange County Schools, is under consideration to be Rick Scott’s choice for Lieutenant Governor, Scott’s chief spokesman, Melissa Sellers. “We are still reviewing the bills that came out of the legislative session and have not started the LG process.”
Say what?
Not that having a Lieutenant Governor is practically necessary, but it is necessary under the Florida Constitution.
The office of Lieutenant Governor has been vacant since March 13, when Jennifer Carroll resigned amid a scandal about the Internet café industry.
Carroll has not been charged in connection with the case and has denied any wrongdoing.
Scott has stressed that he would not be rushed into filling the office. “We will not turn our attention to this topic until after this session ends,” he said in March.
That legislative session ended well over a month ago.
Of course, Scott has also had to consider whether to sign dozens of bills and had to work his way through the state’s $74.1 billion budget to decide which items to strike with his line-item veto.
Still, Scott hasn’t had time to find a new LG? What gives?
I genuinely believe Scott can’t find anyone not named Doug Holder to be his LG. I don’t think Anitere Flores, Jack Latvala, John Thrasher or Dana Young really want the job because it would mostly entail serving as sauce for the goose next year when Scott has to run for re-election. I mean, would you really want to have to defend full-time the most unpopular governor in the country?
That’s why Scott has had to look for an unorthodox pick like Jenkins — who is a Democrat, by the way.
Just think about that for a second: the Governor who once bragged that he was Tea Party before it was cool, is reportedly considering a Democrat as his Number Two.
Has this guy got Charlie Crist on his brain or what?
Material from the News Service of Florida was used in this post.
