Toni Jennings
Encyclopedia
Antoinette "Toni" Jennings (born May 17, 1949) was the 16th Lieutenant Governor
of Florida
. She was nominated to the office by Governor Jeb Bush
in February 2003 to replace Frank Brogan
, who resigned to become president of Florida Atlantic University
. She was sworn in on March 3, 2003, becoming the first woman to hold the office. She declined to run for governor in 2006
even though she was reputed to be Bush's preferred choice as his successor.
After the 2006 elections, Jennings was replaced as Lieutenant Governor by Jeff Kottkamp
on January 2, 2007.
Jennings previously served in the Florida House of Representatives
from 1976-1980, and in the Florida Senate
from 1980-2000. In 1994, when Orange County
Chairman Linda Chapin
announced she was not seeking re-election, she failed to convince Jennings to return to Orlando
and campaign for the office herself. Instead, she remained in Tallahassee to be elected by her Senate peers to be President of the Florida Senate--the only person to have held the powerful office for two terms, from 1996-2000. In 2000, legislative term limits came into effect, having been instituted by a constitutional referendum taken several years earlier. Jennings was thereafter prohibited from seeking reelection.
Before entering public service, Jennings was an elementary school
teacher. During and after her tenure in the legislature
, she also ran the family construction business. She is a graduate of Wesleyan College
.
As lieutenant governor she worked on legislative relations for Bush, on education policy, hurricane prepardness, disaster relief and issues related to the space coast in Florida.
Jennings endorsed former Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney
in the 2008 presidential primary election.
Lieutenant Governor of Florida
The Lieutenant Governor of Florida is a statewide elected office in the government of the U.S. state of Florida. According to the Florida Constitution, the lieutenant governor is elected to a four-year term congruent with that of the Governor of Florida, and succeeds to the office of Governor if it...
of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. She was nominated to the office by Governor Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
in February 2003 to replace Frank Brogan
Frank Brogan
Frank T. Brogan is the current Chancellor of the State University System of Florida and the former President of Florida Atlantic University. He was also the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Florida...
, who resigned to become president of Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
. She was sworn in on March 3, 2003, becoming the first woman to hold the office. She declined to run for governor in 2006
Florida gubernatorial election, 2006
The 2006 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2006. Governor Jeb Bush was term-limited, and could not run for re-election. Republican Charlie Crist, the state's Attorney General, won the election for Governor of Florida.-Democrats:...
even though she was reputed to be Bush's preferred choice as his successor.
After the 2006 elections, Jennings was replaced as Lieutenant Governor by Jeff Kottkamp
Jeff Kottkamp
Jeffrey "Jeff" Kottkamp is an American politician from Florida, and served as the state's 17th Lieutenant Governor, from 2007 to 2011....
on January 2, 2007.
Jennings previously served in the Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
from 1976-1980, and in the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
from 1980-2000. In 1994, when Orange County
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
Chairman Linda Chapin
Linda Chapin
Linda Welch Chapin, a Florida politician, was the first chairman of the Orange County Commission and an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives....
announced she was not seeking re-election, she failed to convince Jennings to return to Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and campaign for the office herself. Instead, she remained in Tallahassee to be elected by her Senate peers to be President of the Florida Senate--the only person to have held the powerful office for two terms, from 1996-2000. In 2000, legislative term limits came into effect, having been instituted by a constitutional referendum taken several years earlier. Jennings was thereafter prohibited from seeking reelection.
Before entering public service, Jennings was an elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
teacher. During and after her tenure in the legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, she also ran the family construction business. She is a graduate of Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College is a private, liberal arts women's college located in Macon, Georgia, United States.-History:The school was chartered on December 23, 1836 as the Georgia Female College, and opened its doors to students on January 7, 1839. The school was renamed Wesleyan Female College in 1843...
.
As lieutenant governor she worked on legislative relations for Bush, on education policy, hurricane prepardness, disaster relief and issues related to the space coast in Florida.
Jennings endorsed former Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Governor Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
in the 2008 presidential primary election.