Before I became the governor of Florida, I was a business owner. I opened my first business, a small donut shop, shortly after serving as an enlisted member of the Navy. The shop helped give my mom a job while my wife Ann and I worked full time and continued our education. As my business career continued, I learned to truly appreciate the value of working hard, creating jobs and fighting for results.
It was clear to me when I decided to run for governor that our elected leaders were more focused on their own jobs than on the future of Florida’s families, and I wasn’t going to sit and wait for them to figure it out while Floridians lost their jobs, their cars and their homes. I know how devastating this can be to a family… I remember watching the pain on my adopted father’s face when our family car was repossessed.
My early experiences of growing up with nothing taught me the value of hard work. I have always rejected the idea that government has to be slow and ineffective. Government can move efficiently, and government can secure results – if it has the right leaders.
Over the past eight years, Florida’s success has shown what you can accomplish through hard work - home prices are up, we have paid down massive amounts of state debt, our crime rate is at a 47-year low, and we have made record investments in education, transportation, the environment. I’m proud that we created a climate where Florida businesses can thrive – and we’ve seen more than 1.6 million jobs created in our state.
I’ve introduced a plan to reform Washington that starts with term limits to get rid of career politicians.
Now, the voters of Florida have spoken, and I am honored to serve as our state’s next Senator and share Florida’s success with the entire nation. With a heated campaign season behind us, it’s time for our leaders to come together, roll up their sleeves, and get something done for families across America. It’s time to make Washington work.
I’ve introduced a 10-point plan to reform Washington, and it starts with term limits to get rid of career politicians. My plan also forces the Senate to pass responsible budgets, actually read the bills they are voting on, and forces them to show up for full-time work like the rest of our nation. I know we will encounter politicians who say this cannot be done, and there will be members of Congress who will never agree to work more – but that’s no reason to not fight for what is clearly best for American families.
It’s time we hold our leaders accountable and fight to give every child a fair chance at the American Dream. My “Make Washington Work” Plan is meant to reform the dysfunctional and tired ways of thinking in Washington and make sure Congress actually works for families across the nation – not just for career politicians in D.C.
Nobody ever accused me of being a slick talker. But I am a doer. I know you can get a tremendous amount done if you actually work on it – our win is further proof of that. Now, it’s time to take that focus to Washington.
Let’s get to work.
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