MIAMI: A daughter of Cuban exiles who has had a swift rise as a lawyer and judge is on President Donald Trump’s short list to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court.
The president said Monday that he does not personally know Barbara Lagoa, 52, but praised her as terrific. Barely veiled was the fact that, as a Cuban-American from South Floridas city of Hialeah, her selection could benefit Trump in the Nov. 3 election, when Florida could be the ultimate kingmaker. Lagoa grew up in a heavily Hispanic suburb of Miami.
Shes excellent. Shes Hispanic. Shes a terrific woman from everything I know. I dont know her. Florida. We love Florida. So shes got a lot of things very smart, Trump said in a call-in interview with Fox and Friends.
Asked whether politics would play a role in the decision, Trump responded:…