Carlos Lopez-Cantera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Lopez-Cantera
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| 19th Lieutenant Governor of Florida | |
| In office February 3, 2014 – January 7, 2019 |
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| Governor | Rick Scott |
| Preceded by | Jennifer Carroll |
| Succeeded by | Jeanette Nuñez |
| Property Appraiser of Miami-Dade County | |
| In office January 1, 2013 – February 3, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Pedro Garcia |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Garcia |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 113th district |
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| In office November 2, 2004 – November 7, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Prieguez |
| Succeeded by | David Richardson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 29, 1973 Madrid, Spain |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Renee
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Miami Dade College (AA) University of Miami (BBA) |
Carlos Lopez-Cantera, born on December 29, 1973, is an American politician. He served as the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Florida from 2014 to 2019.
As a member of the Republican Party, Lopez-Cantera was a representative in the Florida House of Representatives. He served the 113th district from 2004 to 2012. During his last two years, he was the Majority Leader. Before becoming Lieutenant Governor, he was elected as the property appraiser for Miami-Dade County in 2012. In 2014, Governor Rick Scott chose him to be the Lieutenant Governor.
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Early Life and Education
Carlos Lopez-Cantera was born in Madrid, Spain, on December 29, 1973. His father, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, was Cuban and Catholic. His mother, Esther "Shelly" Smith Fano, was Jewish.
He was born two months early. Once he was healthy enough to travel, his parents brought him back to Miami, Florida. He studied at Miami-Dade Community College, earning an Associate of Arts degree in 1994. Later, he received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami in 1996. He also minored in political science.
Political Career Highlights
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Serving in the Florida House of Representatives
In 1997, Lopez-Cantera worked for the Florida Senate's criminal justice committee. He first ran for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives in 2002 but did not win. Two years later, in November 2004, he won his first election to represent the 113th District.
He was re-elected three more times: in 2006, 2008, and 2010. From 2008 to 2010, he served as the House Majority Whip. Then, from 2010 to 2012, he was the House Majority Leader. This role means he helped guide his party's agenda in the House.
His fellow lawmakers from Miami-Dade County chose him twice to be the chairman of their legislative group. This was from 2011 to 2012. On August 14, 2012, he became the second person elected by the people of Miami-Dade to be their property appraiser. Miami-Dade County has over 2.5 million people and nearly 1 million properties.
Becoming Lieutenant Governor of Florida
On January 14, 2014, Governor Rick Scott announced that Carlos Lopez-Cantera would be the new Lieutenant Governor of Florida. He was chosen to finish the term of the previous Lieutenant Governor, Jennifer Carroll, who had resigned.
In November 2014, Lopez-Cantera ran alongside Governor Scott and was elected to a full term as Lieutenant Governor. He held this important position until 2019.
In 2015, Lopez-Cantera announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. He wanted to replace Senator Marco Rubio, who was running for president. However, Lopez-Cantera decided to stop his campaign when Senator Rubio announced he would seek re-election to the Senate. In 2018, Lopez-Cantera chose not to run for Governor of Florida. Instead, he supported another candidate, Adam Putnam.
Life After Politics
After leaving his political office, Carlos Lopez-Cantera began working in the private business world. He became a leader at Jax Industrial Three Ltd, a company based in Coral Gables. In 2024, his organization applied for a permit in north Jacksonville for a large project. This project is estimated to cost about $8.86 million to complete.
Personal Life
Carlos Lopez-Cantera's mother is Jewish, and his father is Catholic. He married Renee in 2005, and she is also Jewish. They have two daughters. In 2016, Lopez-Cantera celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A Bar Mitzvah is an important Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for boys.
See also
