Now
It’s October, almost one year before the general election that will hopefully put Susa in the Florida Governor’s Mansion. It’s been an eventful three years both personally and professionally. We’ve seen our state through a major hurricane, enacted important education and gun reform, and other items that have helped our state and its residents.
And we’re also now the parents to Thomas Gerard Taylor Wilson—Tommy.
One of the tasks we need to complete by the end of this third year of Owen’s second term is narrowing down the field of lieutenant governor candidates for Susa’s run next year. I know it’s early, but I want them thoroughly vetted.
Yes, I’m asking Benchley’s help for this. In fact, before we even sit down to talk with any potential candidates, I’ve run the list past Benchley for his perusal to make sure he doesn’t have any dirt on them. That eliminates three candidates from our short-list almost immediately. One for a domestic violence 911 call in another state, but which was never prosecuted because his wife refused to testify, one for irregularities on a campaign finance disclosure form during a county commission race, and one who it turns out has three different mistresses, in addition to his wife.
When I find out that it’s obvious his wife has no clue about the mistresses, I ratfuck the bastard myself, dropping an FYI call to one of my favorite reporters at theOrlando Herald. They take only a week of tailing the guy to get compromising pictures of him with another woman.
Who wasn’t one of the three Benchley already knew about.
The good news is, the man’s notourproblem.
Personally, I’m really gravitating toward Ethan Hamilton. He’s an Independent, and has spent two terms in the Florida House after two terms as a county commissioner in Sarasota County. Thirty-six, single, divorced—amicably, by all counts—and no kids.
He’s reported to be a nice guy, has an MBA, worked his way through college before going to work for a commercial real estate company.
Even better, the guy’s not bad-looking at all. Reminds me of Owen, in many ways. Hot, but doesn’t come off like he even has a clue he knows it. Self-effacing, friendly smile, the kind of guy you wouldn’t mind having a beer with after work, and he’d likely make you feel like he really does want to be there with you. Big, hazel eyes, expressive.
I assign Dray and Gregory the job of having dinner with him while Hamilton’s in Tallahassee, to get a feel for him before we officially approach him with any kind of an offer. If I personally meet with the man at this point, everyone will be looking hard at him.
If Dray and Gregory don’t sign off on him, knowing us as well as they do, then we won’t even bother taking things further and he’ll be quietly crossed off the list.
I have no interest in people talking behind their hands about why someone didn’t make the list if we don’t select them early on. Once it’s closer to the time to file for the primaries, sure, people would expect us to have a short-list.
But whoever we pick, I want that person to be someone hungry for the job, someone who will use what we’ve done with Owen’s two terms to carry through Susa’s two terms and then continue during their own terms.
Someone who will not try to undercut Susa at every turn. Someone who will have her six and workforher,withher. Someone who will understand he needs to wait his turn, and, in return, we’ll help him get elected.
We’re talking politicaldynastykind of stuff.
We have the momentum, and I want to put as many safeguards in place to keep our work living on past our term in office. It’d mean nearly a quarter of acenturyof our plan helping our state.
Our trick of placing the lieutenant on the ballot rubbed off on our opponents for Owen’s re-election run, and all of the GOP candidates, and most of the Dems, had their lieutenants listed during the primary.
Which backfired on two candidates, one from each party, when it turned out the lieutenants had problems with their financial disclosure forms, weaknesses their opponents ruthlessly exploited in campaign ads.
I knew we wouldn’t be able to hold that particular advantage in that election, but it really didn’t matter because I think everyone pretty much expected Owen to win after what Susa went through.
The day after Dray and Gregory have dinner with Hamilton, Dray comes to my office that afternoon and shuts the door.
I sit back. “Well?”
Dray drops into one of the chairs in front of my desk and slowly nods. “I really like him.”
“What’d Gregory think?”
“He likes him, too.”
“So he makes the short list?”
Draymond Garcia is a handsome mixed Latinx. He has gorgeous green eyes a different shade than Owen’s. They’re even more striking with his flawless, dark brown skin. He’s six-five, and while not as muscular as Owen, he’s still imposing in his own way. He’s carefully studied me, and his brother, how we carried ourselves, and I’ve seen the skilled lawyer’s persona change and grow over the years we’ve worked together.
I am flattered and honored that he mimics me, and it frustrates the shit out of Susa that he’s mastered both my smirk and arched eyebrows.
And that he will rat her out for panty infractions in a heartbeat.
