Forget any talk of Florida Gov. Rick Scott torpedoing his message of progress being made in Floridas economy for the sake of any ongoing national campaign seeking to paint a bleaker picture.
Instead, Scott said Tuesday that Floridas resurgence should be seen as a national model, one that a more receptive White House occupant could emulate in the not-too-distant future.
When he addresses the Republican National Convention on Monday, Scott will use the prime-time appearance to talk about the need for a federal partner.
We need Somebody who is going to do what weve done in Florida, Scott told reporters on Tuesday while outside the LeRoy Collins Library in Tallahassee.
Reduce taxes. Reduce litigation. Reduce regulations. Streamline the permitting process.
As you all know, weve had the biggest drop in unemployment of any state in the country.Just think what will happen if we have a federal partner who is going to do the same thing in D.C. that were doing here in Florida.
Earlier Tuesday, Gary Swoope, Scotts business development guru, stressed changes made the past year-and-a-half under Scott aimed at making Florida a global economic leader, as he told members of the Economic Club of Florida that the Sunshine State is moving in the right direction.
Brought in from Mississippi -- where he helped oversee the states economic recovery following Hurricane Katrina -- to serve as secretary of commerce and president of Enterprise Florida, Swoope highlighted the efforts of the state that have been partially responsible for Floridas 2-point drop in unemployment.
But he also emphasized a need for Florida to be more aggressive in competing against its northern neighbors for business.
Asked afterward about his role in the messages pushed by Scott that Florida is making progress, and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romneys campaign that things could be better, Swoope said a federal partner is desired in job creation.
I think of the companies that I worked with; theyre looking for a Washington that is supportive of them being able to make a profit, which means they can employ people, Swoope said. In my job, Im staying focused on Florida and what we need to do here.
Swoope will be in Tampa on Aug. 29 for the Republican National Convention, attending a forum on job creation.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
