Many current polls don’t favor Ron DeSantis defeating Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican Primary, but if DeSantis were to win his party’s nomination and ultimately win the general election, then the state of Florida would make current Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez the state’s 47th governor. A transition from DeSantis to Nuñezwould mark the first female governor in Florida history.
Prior to Nuñez role as Florida’s Lt. Governor, the Miami native served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018, where she represented a district that included regions of of Miami-Dade County and Broward County, both considered Democratic strongholds at the time. Nuñez raised her profile and elevated to the House leadership. She succeeded David Rivera, who ran for Congress in 2010. During the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, Núñez was a staunch supporter of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, and fiercely opposed then candidate Donald Trump, but she ultimately endorsed Trump after he clinched the party’s nomination, and even spoke at the 2020 Republican Convention to show her support for Trump.
In March 2017, Nuñez was appointed to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, a 37-member commission that reviews and proposes changes to the Florida Constitution. In 2018, DeSantis chose her to be his running mate.
In addition to her role as Lt. Gov, Núñez chairs an organization as Space Florida, promotes economic development of the space industry across the state of Florida. She also chairs the Florida Cybersecurity Task Force.
Núñez is a graduate of Florida International University (FIU), where she earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and international relations. Following graduation, she worked as chief of staff for state Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla as his chief of staff, then entered the health care industry, working as as the Vice-President of Government Affairs at Jackson Health System. Núñez also worked for FIU as an adjunct professor and an advisor.
Núñez’ Political Record
- Ran for Florida House on a campaign that prioritized job creation, deregulation and tax reduction.
- On social issues, Núñez is staunchly pro-life, pro gun rights and pro religious freedom.
- Nunez voted to limited the number of post-conviction appeals for the death penalty.
- On environment and energy issues, Núñez favors fracking and reduction of burdensome business regulations.
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.