Karen Jaroch latest Tampa Bay official to join Herman Cain Express

On Tuesday, some members of his new political team in Florida were announced. On Wednesday, the Cain camp officially released a statement with all the vital information, including the fact that Tea Party activist and now HART board member Karen Jaroch is also part of the group.

Jaroch's title is co-director of 9/12 patriots, sharing that role with Barbara Haselden, a St. Petersburg based insurance company executive.

For Jaroch it's another step up the political ladder for a woman who a year and a half ago most people in local politics had never heard of. But then the Tea Party exploded.

Along with her fellow Tampa 9.12 colleague Sharon Calvert, Jaroch became one of the biggest critics of the light rail proposal that Hillsborough County voters overwhelmingly rejected a year ago. She was also prominent in advocating that Governor Rick Scott reject the federal funding for a Tampa-to-Orlando high speed rail line, and last month the Hillsborough County Commission appointed her to the HART board.

In addition to the above mentioned individuals, other Tampa Bay residents being named to Team Cain include media guru Adam Goodman, Suzanne Moore as Tampa Regional Field Rep. and Kathleen Shanahan as a statewide chair.