Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced members of his Judicial Advisory Commission (JAC) for the 117th Congress. The JAC closely resembles Rubio’s bipartisan commission for the 116th Congress. Prior to that, Rubio partnered with then-Senator Bill Nelson for eight years on a similar bipartisan commission.
Former Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera will serve as the JAC’s statewide chair. Leonard Collins will chair the Northern District JAC. Domingo Sanchez will chair the Middle District JAC. Manny Kadre will chair the Southern District JAC. All four served in the same capacity for Rubio’s commission in the 116th Congress and the Rubio-Nelson commission in the 115th Congress.
“It is absolutely critical that we maintain the integrity and independence of our judiciary,” Rubio said. “I am proud of the work that Renier and other commission members have done over the years and am grateful for all of our commission members who continue in that bipartisan tradition.”
Since 2017 the Senate has confirmed a dozen Florida district court judges recommended by Rubio, and those judges averaged nearly 70 votes in favor despite the deeply divided and partisan nature of the Senate.