TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Both gubernatorial candidates have announced their running mates. 

  • Florida's Lt. Governor position powerless in state government
  • Position has value as motivator for voter turnout
  • Candidates reportedly focusing on demographics to make selections
  • Decision 2018

On Facebook Live, Democrat Andrew Gillum announced Chris King as his pick for lieutenant governor, saying he is excited to add another team member to his campaign. 

“I am thrilled to welcome Chris King to the Democratic ticket this fall as our Lieutenant Governor. Chris has brought new and dynamic leadership to this state, and his innovative policy ideas and business acumen will help us move Florida forward,” said Mayor Andrew Gillum. “We’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, by training workers for good-paying jobs, expanding access to health care and ensuring every Floridian has a fair chance to succeed. Chris is going to be instrumental in our work to rebuild Florida.”

Meanwhile, Gillum's challenger, Republican Ron DeSantis introduced his running mate in Orlando Thursday.

Miami state Rep. Jeanette Nuñez will be DeSantis’ running mate. For the first time, a Cuban-American woman is a lieutenant governor candidate in Florida. 

Nuñez is currently speaker pro tempore in the Florida House and has served her district since 2010. 

In the past Nuñez has also held positions that have rankled more hard-line Republicans. She sponsored a bill in 2014 that would allow undocumented immigrant children living in Florida to pay in-state tuition for public colleges.

She also recently deleted a tweet from 2016 that was critical of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. In the tweet, she called Trump a con man who supported the Ku Klux Klan.

On Thursday, Nuñez dismissed questions about the tweet, saying she was supporting Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign for president at the time, and that "elections are elections."

Florida's 40-year-old lieutenant governor position is famously powerless. Without constitutionally-mandated responsibilities, he or she typically does the governor's assigned duties.

Sources close to Gillum and DeSantis say the candidates focused on demographics as they crafted their short lists.

Spectrum News reporters Troy Kinsey and Erin Murray , and the Associated Press contributed to this report.