TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The statue of a Confederate general representing Florida in the nation's Capitol could soon be replaced.
A special committee Wednesday narrowed a list of 130 possible replacements down to three.
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Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith's statue has represented Florida in the Capitol since 1922.
This year, lawmakers decided that honoring a Confederate general didn't reflect the state's diversity. They asked for nominations for a replacement and set up a nomination process for a replacement.
One-hundred thirty people were nominated. Wednesday, a panel of four narrowed the list to seven,
and then down to three.
The top vote getter was Dr. Mary McLeon Bethune, the founder of Bethune-Cookman University.
"She in 1875 being born and then living the true American dream and not letting anything stopping her from believing, believing in what our constitution says," BCU special assistant Daisy Grimes said.
Marjorie Stoneman Douglass and George Jenkins each had two votes. Douglass originated the effort to save and protect the Everglades, and Jenkins founded Publix Supermarkets.
"You can't ride anywhere without seeing a Publix," Maj General Michael Calhoun said. "The competition has kind of faded away, and that's probably because of the quality of service they do there."
Even the man who gave Floridia its name, Ponce DeLeon, was nominated, but he didn't really fit all the criteria.
Fictional characters weren't allowed to be considered, but committee member SL Frisbee joked that Mickey Mouse has certainly played a role. His creator, Walt Disney, was on the list, but fell short.
"The ones that we selected were more totally focused," Frisbee said.
Florida lawmakers can choose one of the three or anyone else they want.
In total, just over 3,000 people submitted a nomination. Since the decision now goes back to the Legislature, which is a political body, the records were checked and it was found that Bethune-Cookman has two registered lobbyists, Publix has four, while the Everglades Trust and Foundation have 15.