Newly minted lieutenant governor candidate Jennifer Carroll wont be the only Northeast Florida Republican moving to a new political job.
Carroll, tapped Thursday by Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Scott to be his No. 2, will have to withdraw as a candidate for the Legislature because she cant be on the ballot in two places at the same time under state law. Because it's after the primary and qualifying deadline and leaves the GOP without a candidate when it previously had one, Republican Party officials will choose a replacement, Division of Elections spokeswoman Jennifer Krell Davis said.
That person will take the seat because they will be unopposed.
Its not completely clear exactly which Republican leaders actually will choose the replacement. Division of Elections officials will notify the state GOP Executive Committee, which may have its members from Clay and Duval counties make the decision. The seat is made up of parts of Duval, mostly on the western edge of Jacksonville and parts of Clay, south of Jacksonville.
Republican activists in the two counties were still celebrating their hometown representatives ascension to the statewide ticket Thursday. The district, a mostly rural and suburban enclave with a heavy military presence, leans strongly toward the GOP.
A lot of people, have their eye on the seat, said state Republican committeeman Doug Adkins, whose wife Janet represents Nassau County in the state House.
Among the possibilities mentioned by Adkins are Jacksonville City Councilman Daniel Davis, Clay County Commissioners Diane Hutchins, Doug Conkey and Travis Cummings, Clay County attorney Rob Bradley and Robert Jones, who ran for the Senate seat won last year in a special election by Republican Party of Florida Chairman John Thrasher.
Marge Hutton, president of the Federated Republican Women of Clay County, agreed with Adkins list.
I guess everyone would have to sit down and see who the best candidate to run is, she said.
Thrasher released a statement that lauded Carrolls selection Thursday, but he made no mention of who might replace her in the Legislature. Once the state Division of Elections notifies GOP officials of the need to fill the vacancy, theyll have seven days to send a name to the state.
The RPOF did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
