Jennifer Sandra Carroll is a Trinidadian–American Republican and retired naval officer who served as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Florida from January 4, 2011 to March 12, 2013. Carroll is the first black person, woman and Trinidadian-American elected to the office; she also is the first black person elected to statewide office in Florida since Reconstruction. Carroll previously served as a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives. She is the bestselling author of an autobiography entitled When You Get There. Although she was later cleared, Carroll came under scrutiny for public relations work for a charity that involved itself in gambling and for $24,000 in income that she failed to report on financial disclosures and tax returns. At the request of Governor Rick Scott, Carroll resigned her post as lieutenant governor on March 12, 2013. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement subsequently concluded that she had not broken any laws.
Carroll is a member of the Clay County Republican Executive Committee. In 2000, she ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the Florida's 3rd congressional district. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown defeated Carroll 58%–42%. After redistricting, she ran for a rematch against Brown in the newly redrawn 3rd district in 2002. Brown defeated her 59%–41%. Carroll is one of the founders of Maggie's List, a federal PAC that supports conservative female candidates.
Carroll ran for a seat Florida House of Representatives in the 13th state House district after incumbent State Representative Mike Hogan, also a Republican, resigned in 2003. In the April 2003 special election, she won the Republican primary with 65.5 percent of the vote, defeating Linda Sparks, who won 34.5 percent of the vote. She became the first Black female Republican ever elected to the Florida Legislature. She won unopposed in 2004, 2006, and 2008. Carroll was appointed Deputy Majority Leader from 2003–2004, and served as Majority Whip in 2004–2006. She was Vice Chair of the Transportation and Economic Development Committee, Chair of the Finance Committee and Chair of the Economic and Development Council.
On November 2, 2010, the Republican ticket of Rick Scott and Jennifer Carroll defeated the Democratic ticket of Alex Sink and Rod Smith, 48.9%–47.7%. The first black person, the first woman, and the first Trinidadian American elected to the position, she assumed the office on January 4, 2011. Carroll was the first black Republican elected to statewide office in Florida since Reconstruction. She had a troubled relationship with Governor Scott concerning various charges of office mismanagement, which included retaliation on staff, tax improprieties and lesbianism. Carroll came under further scrutiny for public relations work for a charity that involved itself in illegal online gambling and for $24,000 in income which she failed to report on disclosures and tax returns. Though the Ethics Committee found no evidence of wrong doing, at the request of Governor Rick Scott, Carroll resigned her post as lieutenant governor on March 12, 2013. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement subsequently concluded that she did not break any laws.
