Will Carroll be Scott’s angel?
by Michael C. Bender | September 2nd, 2010
Media set up this morning near the Blue Angel parked in front of NAS Jax, where Republican Rick Scott will announce Jennifer Carroll as his running mate. Bender/Post
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.
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.
Here’s the e-mail Scott sent supporters this morning about his pick…
I am so grateful today to announce that Representative Jennifer Carroll of Fleming Island Hill is my pick for Lieutenant Governor. She is the House Representative for District 13, which is in Jacksonville.
Even more importantly, I am honored that Jennifer is the first African American Republican woman to be part of a statewide ticket in Florida.
Jennifer Carroll is the embodiment of the American Dream. She came to America as a young girl, decided to serve her country with the United States Navy, pursued a higher education, started a small business, and then was elected the first African American female Republican in the Florida State Legislature. Take a moment, if you don’t already know her to meet Jennifer by visiting www.ScottCarrollforFlorida.com.
Her conservative principles are in line with mine, and this fall we will present a clear choice between conservatives with business experience and a plan to create 700,000 jobs and liberal Obamacrats who want to bring the failed Obama agenda to Florida.
Make sure you also connect with Jennifer on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest as we campaign together against Alex Sink, Rod Smith and their liberal agenda.
Let’s get to work!
Rick Scott
Tags: elections, Jennifer Carroll, Rick Scott





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September 2nd, 2010 at 11:07 am
What a breath of fresh air for we honest GOP non-RPOF members! Can you say its the end for the good ole boys Bush club of the Florida corrupticans!
Now, why would Governor to be RICK SCOTT want a female LG with a strong law enforcement background? Because he needs someone with experience to restart Florida’s presently idle law enforcement agencies mainly FDLE who have been sidelined by the culture of corruption and basically put out to pasture! Many FDLE members are running their own moonlighting businesses because they are not allowed real state investigative assignments for fear they might come accross the wrong corruption connections! Rick Scott says “let’s get to work.” I say Rick get to work cleaning out the Bush corruption that has destroyed this state for years from every county’s connections directly to the Tallahassee corrutpion connections! Put them in jail with Jennifer’s help!
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:14 am
Its all over. Pack up the bus and go home all you wannabes. Scott picked a winner. Unlike the one known as “the wookie” this black lady commands respect. She will be an incredible asset.
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 am
I wonder what Sink has to say about this smart move? Or, McCollum, or is he still locked away in his playroom crying and screaming because he has to actually get a real job now
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:22 am
Does Scott want to be an “outsider” or “insider.” Ms. Carroll is a typical Tallahassee insider. She voted for SB 6, SB 360 (loosening growth management), and SB 1143 (requiring ultrasound images for an abortion).
Very inconsistent messaging from Scott.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Here we have two people who pulled themselves up by the bootstraps to make major acheivements in their lives! How can Alex Sink compete with reality? She can’t! After her husband Bill McBride lost the governors race they immediately implemented her stepping stone “CFO’ race to the governors mansion! A major scheme to defraud the people of Florida! She has been signed on to Washington politics and has put Her and Bill’s money into the Obama machine! She has coneived with Crist and McCollum to fund their mutual politcal donors in New York with $250 million dollars of our Florida employee’s retirement funds, which they ultimately lost every penny of! Alex Sink is the Democrat side of Florida’s culture of corruption! In just four short years she has cost Florida taxpayers millions and million in losses from her bad decisions and mismanagement! Then just last year she bought “her army” 182 Assault Rifles at a tune of $255 Thousand Dollars! Call Alex Sink and ask her who she’s declaring war on!
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:34 pm
scott wins primary and he would not attend a debate. also refused all questions from reporters that were not a part of his ignorant talking points. not to mention having zero ethics from his ceo days running corrupt hospital org. people we could do better then this. that primary was by far the grossest of what is wrong with this country. best primary win money can buy. i was a republican but they are so out of touch with reality and refuse to do anything and are not being reasonable to a man while regular people suffer. i will not get started with the ugly hate comming from the so called tea party. wake up and turn off the tv.
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:38 pm
What reality? The fact that Rick Scott lied to all the republican voters who voted for him claiming he is independent from special interest and the so called “leadership” of the Florida Republican party!
SCOTT LIED!
As soon as he finished his victory speech last Tuesday he crawled in bed with them — and with all the guys who called him every name in the book, even called him a crook who belongs in jail. This guy has no self-respect and is just another carpetbagger with a private agenda! Is that what he called “Let’s get to work?”
Any Florida citizen with some sense and dignity left should not vote for a guy who lies faster than the career politicians he was so much against in his TV ads.
Alex Sink looks more and more tempting — especially for Republicans who still have some self respect left. Do we want to be the laughing stock of the whole nation by electing a governor who the Florida Republican leadership publicly called a fraud and crook, pumping millions of dollars into spreading the message that he is a crook — and worse?
Do Florida voters have any self-respect left?
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Does Scott think the black voters of Florida are dumb,that they will give him their vote because he has a black person on the ticket.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:38 pm
I have known Jennifer Carroll for eight years.
She is the embodiment of the American Dream. She should be everybody’s role model.
She knows what she believes in and she can articulate those beliefs.
Great choice!
Sid
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Maybe nothing wrong with Carroll, but if you have a good name and reputation you don’t throw it away by going to bed with a crook amd liar!
Just a note: Scott was called crook, liar and many other nasty names by his now buddy-buddies of the so-called leaders of the GOP FL.
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:28 pm
One thing I need to know. Is she an African or an American? One can’t be both. I won’t vote for an African for political office in this country but I will vote for a bona fide American.
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Jennifer was born in Trinidad, rose to be a Colonel in the USNavy, ran a small business, was Director of Veterans’ Affairs for the State of Florida and is a solid Conservative.
Sid
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Atta boy Sid, “Jennifer”, is probably a fine person. But the fact still remains,
Rick Scott is Medicare scam artist. It is he who is running for Governor.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I feel sorry for Sid who now has to support a liar, thief and down right unethical person. Now we get to see the true colors of the local republicans. Scott is not much different than the KKK Rep elected to the PB Republican Committee and then not allowed to participate. Scott’s deep pockets makes him okay to his new clan.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Sounds like she should be the one to run for Gov. Great that she served in the USA armed services too. (thank you Jennifer). Did she become an American citizen???
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Seems that Scott picked someone upstanding to help his cause to get elected. I’m really sorry for this, Jennifer. Sounds like you are being used and will be dragged down too.
Bottom line–you have to be rich to hold office-gives you all the promises they think you want to hear to get elected. And in reality–don’t give a flying freak about the middle/lower man. All politicians are crooks with big promises.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Do you think that the stock market need more regulation? Or do you think its cool like it is?