The upcoming governor’s election will determine Florida’s economic vitality for the next four years. The stakes are so high voters must examine the candidates and compare their records when they served in the Executive Office of Governor.

Scott grew up with humble beginnings in Kansas City, MO. His father was a city bus driver and his mother was a clerk at J.C. Penneys. He was the second oldest of five children. His family was lower middle class. They struggled financially living in Section 8 government housing. The governor can remember the day his father’s car was repossessed. His mother worked two jobs so their family could afford groceries. Scott’s first job as a young boy was delivering newspapers on a bicycle. His mother expected him to work, make good grades in school and attend church every week. She guided him on a path to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, go on to college and become a successful attorney. Scott’s life is a perfect example of what hard work, tenacity and opportunity can do for anyone in America.

Crist, Scott’s opponent, portrays himself as one of the middles class, but he grew up the only son of a prominent doctor in St. Petersburg with three sisters. He also became an attorney after three attempts to pass the Florida bar. Crist has worked almost exclusively in government jobs since graduating from Law school. Being a consummate politician, Crist has never stayed more than a single term in any elected office, as his eye is always on the next race. Crist has never owned a business or had to meet a payroll. In his 4 years as Florida’s governor, he failed to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and sustain the remarkable economy left to us by Gov. Jeb Bush. Bush worked hard for eight years recruiting businesses to Florida and making it business friendly and rarely left Tallahassee. Crist focus as governor was not on jobs for Florida but campaigning for Vice President and the U.S. Senate, or going to finance events with Jim Greer in the Florida Keys. Crist lack of leadership, coupled with his office being on auto-pilot, was a recipe for economic disaster in Florida during turbulent times.

When Bush left office in 2007, unemployment in Florida was at 3.3% percent which was below the national average. He left 8 billion in cash reserves in December 2006 and $3.2 billion in Florida’s “rainy day fund.” Florida received a Triple A bond rating under Bush which never had been achieved before.

By 2011, after Crist’s 4 years as governor, the state had lost 825,000 jobs, he had blown thru the money Bush socked away in the rainy day fund, he had accepted Obama’s so called “stimulus” money which failed to produce any significant jobs and left FL taxpayers on the hook for the federal taxes. Crist added an additional 3.6 billion in debt in Florida. When Crist left office, Florida had one of the worst economies in the country. He crippled the free-market insurance industry saddling Florida homeowners with the risk of being assessed $6.000 for Citizen’s CAT Fund if a Category 3 hurricane hit Florida. Unemployment in Florida rose from 3.3% under Bush to 11.1% under Crist. Creating jobs and focusing on the economy clearly was not his forte.

Before voters make a decision on Nov. 4th, Floridians should ask themselves which man would they want in charge of their bank account or family investments. Which one knows how to create an environment where our children will succeed in education and their future careers? Which one knows the way up who was economically disadvantaged, ran a business and now the governor of the 3rd largest state in the country? Which man possesses the skill set to steer Florida towards four more years of economic recovery?

The only candidate running capable of that kind of success for Florida is Gov. Rick Scott.

Make sure your vote counts in this election as each one of us is a watchmen for Florida’s next generation.

–Nancy Peek McGowan