Antigay conservative announces run for Florida governor

The chief financial officer for the state of Florida, Tom Gallagher, set out a conservative agenda as he began his campaign for governor Wednesday, coming out for tax cuts, lawsuit limits, and school vouchers and against marriage equality. Gallagher, a Republican who has spent more than 30 years in state government, gave a list of priorities that largely mirrored those on Gov. Jeb Bush's agenda. "We must continue to improve our business climate, we must continue to cut taxes, we must continue to do away with unnecessary regulation, and we must enact meaningful lawsuit reform," Gallagher said. "As governor I will defend the values that keep our families strong." That includes his goal of amending the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, he said on the steps of the capitol after his wife, Laura, and 6-year-old son, Charlie, filed paperwork to open a campaign account. With the state supreme court building behind him, Gallagher also promised to rein in courts. "Like it or not, the courts are at the center of these issues--education, lawsuit reform, and protecting families. Special interests are twisting the constitution, and judges all over the country are legislating from the bench," Gallagher said. "As governor I will appoint justices who respect the separation of powers and the rule of law." Gallagher, 51, becomes the second notable Republican to enter the race to replace Bush, who must leave office because of term limits. Last week state attorney general Charlie Crist announced he's running. (AP)