Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor the life of one of Florida's brightest lights--a light that was extinguished far too soon. One year ago today, we lost Jeri Bustamante in a tragic accident. She was my press secretary, but she was so much more. She was my Spanish tutor. She was my travel partner. She was so kind to everyone that you couldn't help but love her. Everyone thought Jeri was their best friend because she was so loving to everyone. She brightened every room that she walked into and made everyone around her better. There is not much that brings the Florida political world together, but Republicans, Democrats, and even her friends in the press loved and respected Jeri. She lived the American dream. As a small child, Jeri moved from Panama to the United States with her family, speaking only Spanish. She grew up in Miami, where she attended Miami Beach High, Miami-Dade Community College, and Florida International University. She had a passion for communications. She started out at a local Miami TV station and eventually worked for the Miami-Dade property appraiser under Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who became my Lieutenant Governor. She joined my reelection campaign for Governor in 2014, and she was with me for 4 years. She was determined. She was courageous. She had big goals. She wanted to be the Press Secretary for the President of the United States, and I have no doubt she would have been. That is the kind of person she was.…”