Nuñez Steps Down as Florida’s Lieutenant Governor

Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez takes to the podium at the Republican National Convention in Washington, on Aug. 25, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez resigned on Feb. 17 and became the interim president of Florida International University (FIU).

Nuñez, who has been the second-highest-ranking official in the Sunshine State since January 2019, wrote in a message to students that FIU needs to be a top-notch institution.

“Our goal must be to continue to ensure FIU provides our students with a high-quality education and an unmatched student experience,” she said.

“To achieve that, we must insist upon academic rigor and educational excellence, the pursuit of knowledge and truth, civil discourse, and diversity of thought.

“We must also prioritize innovative research, leverage our partnerships to create opportunities for students, and develop a talented workforce for our community and state.”

Nuñez announced on Feb. 17 that she accepted the interim role, succeeding Kenneth Jessell.

“I am honored to be selected as Interim President of Florida International University by the FIU Board of Trustees. As a two-time alumna and a proud Panther mom, I am deeply committed to the success of FIU,” she wrote in a post on social media platform X.

“I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees in the coming days.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis congratulated Nuñez.

Nuñez’s appointment has already led to criticism within the FIU community, with students and faculty staging a walkout on Feb. 13.

In a post promoting the walkout, the FIU chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Young Democratic Socialists of America cited Nuñez’s viewpoints.

“Nuñez has continuously supported abortion restrictions, attacks on education and DEI, strengthening ties with Israel, cuts to social programs, eliminating in-state tuition for undocumented students, and other heinous beliefs,” they wrote in a post on X.

“Now her suppressive efforts will be directly on our campus.”

In response to the walkout, DeSantis wrote on X, “If Jeanette didn’t generate spasms from leftist faculty then I would be worried.”

While FIU, as a public university, will need to conduct a search for a permanent president, it appears it will be a mere formality with Nuñez at the helm.

Who will succeed Nuñez as lieutenant governor is yet to be decided.