Posted on 08/30/2010 8:12:36 PM PDT by Yomin Postelnik
In my last column, I wrote about the national importance of keeping the Florida governorship in Republican hands during this redistricting term. The makeup of three or four US House seats are possibly at stake, which may at one point be enough to swing control of the chamber.
Democrat Alex Sink made the best choice for her side by picking Rod Smith. Sen. Smith is the type of candidate who can gain swing voters. Sink will have problems, having served as President of Florida Operations of Bank of America and due to the fact that this is a Republican leaning year. She’s also become the ultimate insider. But Scott still needs to make sure that his pick is refreshing and dynamic.
Here are some choices that can help Scott significantly:
(Excerpt) Read more at americandailyreview.com ...
I’d like to see State Rep. Jennifer Carroll as Scott’s running mate.
Jennifer Carroll would be a great choice.
I have met and was impressed by Adam Hasner.....but all the suggestions are good.
Hasner is a rare combination of talent, intellect and good intentions. Had the pleasure of having several conversations with him and he’s always impressing. Garcia’s amazing too. They all have what to offer.
Carroll is dynamic, but doesn’t carry the same sway with members of the Legislature.
They all sound like excellent choices, at least on paper. He probably should choose someone with campaign experience.
I second the nomination.
Scott could pick a name from the phone book and Sink could dig up Roosevelt to run with her and the results will still be the same. The 36% sink has now will be her high water mark. Scott wins big.
I watched him being interviewed on a South Florida station and he answered every question exactly as any true conservative would want him to. I’ve never had that happen. Every other conservative I have ever heard said something wrong like Marco first being against SB 1070 then reversing.
Scott will kill the Democrats at redistricting time, watch it, bank on it.
Jennifer Carroll has the advantages of being from the Jacksonville area, and it behooves the GOP to have one of its statewide candidates be from North Florida; Hasner is from the Gold Coast, which already has Jeff Atwater on the GOP statewide ballot (he’s the CFO nominee), and South Florida as a whole is already overrepresented with Scott from Naples and Rubio from Miami.
Carroll is also a Navy veteran, which should be especially helpful in increasing GOP turnout in the Panhandle, and while she has the political and legislative experience that would help Scott strengthen the ticket (she has been a state rep since 2003), she is not a political lifer. And, of course, Carroll is a black woman, thus “balancing” the ticket and making it more difficult for the Democrats to accuse the GOP of being a White Boys’ Club and use identity politics to get minority and female votes.
Hasner is term-limited, right? Is he running for Atwater’s senate seat?
Reps. Ellyn Bogdanoff and Carl Domino faced off for the Atwater seat. Ellyn won. Hasner is a rare talent with statewide presence. The good point about him is that he was an ardent McCollum supporter who’d bring them into the fold. This is shaping up to be a close election and unity is key.
Carroll really doesn’t play well or bring clout other than an initial buzz. Your argument makes a great case for Tom Garcia (former FL24 candidate). He’s an American of Hispanic heritage who speaks up vociferously against illegal immigration and who can put the crucial I-4 corridor in his back pocket. He couldn’t win a primary as a first time no name up against the CEO of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and two longtime conservative politicians. That’s no big deal and he’s the ultimate fresh face.
Maybe he should choose a prominent McCollum supporter.
I heard that McCollum refuses to endorse Scott. Ugh.
That’s what makes Hasner a terrific pick. It would unite the party. Garcia is also promising.
Scott can’t pick someone with no prior political experience. I like Garcia (although I also like Sandy Adams), and he would have made a compelling Lt. Gov. pick for a gubernatorial candidate with decades of political experience, but not for a newcomer such as Scott.
Besides, conservative Hispanics who can’t be convinced to vote by Marco Rubio would be unlikely to be swayed by Garcia.
BTW, good to hear that Ellyn Bogdanoff won the state senate primary. I’ve heard good things about her.
A Scott-Carroll-Bondi-Rubio ticket in FL would shatter the media stereotype that the GOP is the party of middle aged male WASPs. We have a similar dynamic in Illinois with the statewide ticket of Brady for Governor (Catholic), Plummer for Lt. Governor(27 year old business owner & former Peter Fitzgerald staffer), Bob Enriquez (Honduras born) for Secretary of State, and Steve Kim (first asian-american nominated for statewide office) for A.G. So much for the GOP lacking "diversity". Come to the think of it, the only statewide candidate who fits the media's stereotype is Mark Kirk.
My ideal choice for Lt. Gov. in FL would be Dr. Marion Thorpe. However, Scott's surprise upset in the primary cancels out the biggest advantage Thrope would bring to the ticket -- background in health care.
The three biggies for me is the Lt. Governor nominee must A) Bring strengths to the ticket that Scott lacks, B) Have a positive record in government, C) Bring the McCollum supporters aboard.
If Carroll can do all three, I'm sold.
Before Carroll was elected to the state house she ran for Congress a couple times. Getting a respectable 42% in 2000 and 41% in 2002 against Corrine Brown in a rat district. She’s been on radars since then.
Garcia had an op-ed in the Washington Times last week, quoted by NumbersUSA. He’s the Dems’ worst nightmare, an American of Hispanic heritage who’s leading a charge against illegal immigration.
Marco got the North. His problem was more with his record than ethnicity.
Scott needs a big boost. Sink/Smith is formidable. Garcia would bring ethics, integrity, etc. which Scott may have in plenty, but he can’t yet overcome voters’ doubt. Only a fresh face does that (Scott’s fresh but his image has been tarnished, even if unfairly so). A Naval Officer who’s a presidential medal winner and who people can relate to naturally accomplishes this.
Btw, not sure if you saw Garcia’s enthusiastic post-election endorsement of Sandy Adams. It was one for the books.
Bogdanoff does have a good conservative record considering her district.
It looks as if it will be Jennifer Carroll:
Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010
Sources: Rick Scott to select Jennifer Carroll as running mate
By Abel Harding, Matt Dixon
39 comments »
Multiple sources have told the Times-Union that state Rep. Jennifer Carroll is Rick Scott’s likely choice for lieutenant governor.
Scott supporter Rep. Mike Weinstein, R - Jacksonville, could not confirm that Carroll is the choice, but said she is on a “very short list.”
He said that former Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings, who served with Jeb Bush’s administration, is also on that list.
Weinstein and others from around the area say that politically, Carroll makes sense as Scott’s running mate.
“I just really think she adds a lot to the ticket. She is African-American, she is a female, and she is really sharp,” said state Sen. Stephen Wise, R - Jacksonville.
Weinsein said her background working the halls of the Legislature makes her a good pick.
“First and foremost, she brings a very good understanding of the legislature,” he said. “The governor runs the executive, but it would be a great advantage if the lieutenant governor know the legislature.”
Leslie Dougher, chair of the Clay County Republican Party, said that because Scott is from South Florida, selecting a lawmaker from the Jacksonville-area would be a smart choice.
“It just makes a lot of sense,” she said.
Dougher and Weinstein both stressed that Carroll’s military background could also make her a good choice.
At a Tuesday campaign stop, Scott said that he would announce his running mate on Thursday. He gave no indication of who his choice was, but said the decision had basically been made and that the person had been vetted thoroughly.
Weinstein said that because she is term-limited and already went through a thorough vetting process when Gov. Charlie Crist considered appointing her to the U.S. Senate, a Carroll pick would make a lot of sense.
“She is used to being sought after and used to being special,” he said. “She is quite capable, and I would not at all be surprised if that’s who it is.”
abel.harding@jacksonville.com (904) 359-4184
matt.dixon@jacksonville.com (904) 359-4174
Story developing. Continue to check Jacksonville.com for updates.
“It looks as if it will be Jennifer Carroll”
Sounds great to me. Carroll and Adam Hasner were my first choices.
A very capable charismatic solid conservative choice!
And she’s good looking too!
I’ll be terribly disappointed if this is not true!
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