House Republicans met Monday to honor Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, tabbing him officially as speaker designate who will wield the gavel before the Florida House when the 2012 elections end.
As expected, Weatherford was elected without opposition from the Republican caucus.
Speaking from the well of the House, Weatherford praised servant leadership and said he will try to be a servant leader in his time as speaker.
Weatherford praised the promise of Florida and, while he avoided talking about specific policy, the future speaker touched on his principles.
Our rights come from God, not from government, said the future speaker, taking aim at legalized abortion.
All life is precious and worthy of our respect. We can never call ourselves a truly just society as long as we fail to recognize the rights of the unborn.
Invoking the American founders, Weatherford called for government to stay out of the way of the private sector and singled out California, New York and Illinois as examples of states with too much taxation.
Weatherford touched on the protests that will occur Tuesday from groups opposed to Gov. Rick Scotts plans to cut the state budget.
No matter who steps up to protest, we are not looking at the next election, said Weatherford. We are looking at the next generation.
Weatherford received the praise of Floridas Republican leaders, many of whom were in attendance -- including Scott, Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, the state Cabinet, members of the Senate led by President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, two Republican members of Congress in Mario Diaz-Balart and Sandy Adams, former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, former Gov. Bob Martinez, former Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan, and a host of former House speakers, House leaders and Senate presidents.
Wills a committed conservative leader, insisted Scott, who praised Weatherfords commitment to luring jobs to Florida by fighting for lower taxes and smaller government.
Representative Weatherfords a leader in education reform, added Scott, who singled out the future House speakers commitment to school choice.
Weatherford, who represents parts of Hillsborough and Pasco counties, worked in real estate and as an aide to former House Speaker Allan Bense, who was in attendance, before being elected to the House in 2006 -- the same year that he married Benses daughter, Courtney. The older brother of former Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford, the future speaker studied business at Jacksonville University where he played football for the Dolphins.
Will Weatherford is the entire package, said a beaming Bense, currently leading the Florida Chamber of Commerce, as he praised his son-in-law. Will understands public policy as good or better as anyone Ive ever met.
Will reminds me of former Governor Jeb Bush, added Bense, who served as speaker in the last two years of Bushs tenure as governor.
Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, nominated the future speaker, praising Weatherfords family and drive.
We knew he would make a great speaker, said McKeel. He is a real conservative in every sense of that word.
Weatherford thanked God, his family and the Republicans who backed him in his remarks.
I hope I can live up to half of what was said about me in the last hour, said Weatherford.
Waiting in the wings after Weatherford is Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Heathrow, who represents parts of Orange and Seminole counties. Dorworth, who introduced Scott at the meeting on Monday, is penciled in to serve as speaker after the 2014 elections.
The House Democrats will meet on Tuesday to select their leader who will oppose Weatherford after the 2012 elections. Two representatives who represent parts of Broward County -- Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Joe Gibbons of Pembroke Park and Rep. Perry Thurston of Plantation -- will square off to determine who will lead the House Democrats in 2013 and 2014.
Weatherford, who is only 31, could use the speakership to move up the political ladder. William Jennings, Albert Gilchrist, Cary Hardee, Dan McCartey and C. Farris Bryant all served as governor after their tenures as speaker. Simon Conover, Samuel Pasco and Marco Rubio were elected to the United States Senate after serving as speaker of the Florida House.After his tenure as speaker in 1885, Robert Davis was elected to the U.S. Congress. Bill Chappell served in the U.S. Congress for two decades after his tenure as House speaker in the early 1960s. Fred Davis, who served as House speaker in 1927, went on to become chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court less than a decade later.
Kevin Derby can be reached at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859. He served as assistant registrar of certification at Jacksonville University during part of Will Weatherfords career for the JU Dolphins and, in that role, academically certified Weatherfords record to the NCAA.
