Tallahassee, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis who has had a very busy first few weeks on the job, is appointing a circuit judge to replace the state's top election official who abruptly resigned last week.
Gov. DeSantis announced Monday that Hillsborough County Judge Laurel Lee will replace Secretary of State Michael Ertel. The former Seminole County Supervisor of elections resigned last Thursday after photos from a 2005 Halloween party where he was dressed in blackface while posing as a Hurricane Katrina victim surfaced.
DeSantis said he accepted Ertel's resignation to avoid getting "mired" in controversies.
Lee has been a judge in Hillsborough County since 2013. She is married to State Sen. Tom Lee.
Laurel Lee has previously worked as a federal prosecutor.
The Associated press contributed to this story