Scott Selects Miami-Dade Property Appraiser as LG

BRADENTON – After a long wait and much speculation, Gov. Rick Scott appointed the first Hispanic Lieutenant Governor in Florida's history on Tuesday, when he announced that Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Carlos Lopez-Cantera would fill the vacant post.

“I’m excited to get back into the game,” said Lopez-Cantera at a press conference announcing his appointment.

The appointment comes 10 months after Scott's previous lieutenant governor and 2010 running mate Jennifer Carroll resigned amid a scandal that erupted after she was interviewed during an investigation into a scam that used a veteran's charity to front an illegal gambling/internet cafe operation.

Carroll's PR firm did work for the charity, including while she was serving in the state legislature, though she has not been charged with wrongdoing in the case.

Lopez-Cantera, 40, also served in the state legislature, having first been elected in 2004 and later serving as House Majority whip in 2009-10. He was born in Madrid, Spain, but moved to Florida only months after his birth according to his House bio.