Larry Cretul

Larry Cretul
96th Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office March 3, 2009 – November 16, 2010
Preceded by	Ray Sansom
Succeeded by	Dean Cannon
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 22nd district
In office November 5, 2002 – November 2, 2010
Preceded by	Perry McGriff
Succeeded by	Keith Perry
Personal details
Born	January 18, 1948
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Lana J. Delves
Children	2
Profession	Real Estate Broker
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1967–1971

Larry Cretul is a Florida real estate broker and Republican politician who served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2009 to 2010. He represented House District 22, based in Ocala, from 2002 to 2010.

Cretul was subsequently elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the State House on November 18, 2008. On January 30, 2009, Speaker Ray Sansom announced he was "recusing" himself from his duties as Speaker due to a scandal over accepting an unadvertised job at Northwest Florida State College. Under the rule allowing him to recuse himself, Sansom named Cretul acting Speaker until Sansom could return. Sansom and Cretul are roommates in Tallahassee while the state House is in session.

However, on February 2, just minutes before the Republican caucus was due to oust him, Sansom resigned as House Republican leader, a post which automatically made him Speaker. Cretul was unanimously elected his successor, and was named Speaker at the start of the legislative session on March 3.

Representative Cretul was born on January 18, 1948, in Trenton, Michigan. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1967 to 1971, including a tour aboard USS Forrestal. He moved to Florida in 1971. He attended Lawrence Technological University. He was elected to the Marion County Commission in 1994 and was re-elected 1998. He was first elected to the Florida House in 2002, and subsequently re-elected to three more terms. He is married to Lana J. Delves of Wyandotte, Michigan and they have two children, Brian and Scott.

Sources[]

• Project Vote Smart profile
• Florida House of Representatives Profile
• Leary, Alex; Steve Bosquet and Marc Caputo. State House is in chaos as Sansom steps aside. St. Petersburg Times, 2009-01-30.
• Fla. House Speaker Ray Sansom Resigns. Associated Press via WFOR-TV, 2009-02-03.

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