When Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, won the special election for the 58th district House seat, during the victory party, incoming Democratic House leader Ron Saunders, D-Key West, promised that he would try to put her on an appropriations committee.
Saunders delivered. House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, named Cruz to the Government Operations Appropriation Committee as well as to the Elder & Family Services Policy Committee and the Governmental Affairs Policy Committee.
This tops off a busy two weeks for Cruz. Since winning the race on February 23, she had set up a district office, hired staff and introduced six bills to the House.
This is a big win for Saunders. In March 2009, Saunders beat Rep. Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, by only two votes to become the incoming House Democratic leader. With little room for error in his own caucus, Saunders delivered what he promised to a new member.