MIAMI – Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera is a people-friendly kind of guy. In English and Spanish, Friday he talked up his boss, Gov. Rick Scott, while visiting Versailles restaurant in Little Havana.
"We're doing something right here in Florida," said Lopez-Cantera. "I think Gov. Scott deserves some credit for that."
Lopez-Cantera has been given two assignments by his boss, the governor. First, reach out to Cuban-Americans. Second, attack Charlie Crist, which could be a problem because he's such a nice guy.
"Is this going to be your role in this campaign, attacking Charlie Crist?" asked Local 10's Michael Putney.
"Well, I wasn't attacking Charlie yesterday," said Lopez-Cantera. "All I was doing was just using the same quotes that the Democrats used against him in 2010."
Crist is an easy target, being a Republican-turned Independent-turned Democrat.
He's also a career politician, who's switched positions on almost every major issue. He is also likeable, while Scott isn't so much.
However, the governor is trying to warm up his image with a new ad showing him with his grandson. Still, Scott isn't viewed warmly by many residents of South Miami-Dade, after he voted this week to let FPL build two new nuclear plants at Turkey Point, along with 90 miles of new power poles.
"With all the development that's happening here in South Florida, I mean, I was told the other day that there is 60 high-rise buildings in downtown Miami in some stage of development right now," said Lopez-Cantera. "They are going to need power, and we don't want to be like California that has grown-outs because they can't meet the needs."