TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - In November of 1980, President Jimmy Carter lost the chance of a second term in office to Republican Ronald Reagan.

Over the years, President Carter’s time in office was mostly reduced to economic struggles and the Iran hostage crisis.

But the time leading up to his death has helped bring a deeper dive into his presidency, showing a leader, who in many ways, was ahead of his time.

In fact, President Carter appointed more women, African Americans and Hispanic people to judgeships and senior positions than all 38 of his predecessors.

His belief in diversifying government started in local and state politics. This helped open up new opportunities for people like two Tallahassee women, who credit their time with Mr. Carter for inspiring them to go into public service.

“This is page three and when you get down to 6:50 p.m. it says, ‘the president had dinner with,’ and it lists everyone that was there and at the bottom, it has my name,” Teri Cariota said.

One of Teri Cariota’s favorite items is her signed copy of President Carter’s daily diary.

Now a legislative aide for the Florida Senate, on November 11, 1977, she was a 22-year-old Carter campaign volunteer and friend of his children.

Cariota said his children had invited her to crash at the White House to help break up a road trip from Philadelphia to Florida.

“It was just so surreal because I’m looking out a window at the Washington Monument and I went to bed, and I woke up in the morning really thinking like it was all a dream,” Cariota said.

It was a dream, Cariota said, started in Gainesville in 1975. Cariota was helping host the Florida Young Democrats convention and their luncheon speaker was then-Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.

“My first thoughts were ‘nice guy. Doesn’t have a chance in the world’, but I think he’s great. His family is great. I’m going to volunteer, but doesn’t have a chance in the world,” Cariota said.

As part of the Peanut Brigade, Terri crisscrossed the U.S., canvassing for Carter.

During that same time, University of Georgia student, Beth Labasky was campaigning with Carter’s wife, Rosalyn.

“She’s strong, wonderful, caring and kind woman. And was with him hand in hand through just about everything,” Labasky said.

And that included as Georgia’s governor. That’s where the now political consultant got to know the Carters, as an intern with the governor’s office.

“We were caught up in the excitement of a new governor who we so believed in. Who had so many characters of quality and justice and faith and commitment, compassion. And everything that we saw him do, was done utilizing all those treasured gifts that he had,” Labasky said.

Those gifts, Labasky and Cariota said took people from saying ‘Jimmy who?’ all the way to New York City where in 1976 he accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.

Cariota’s friendship with the Carters gave her a chance to witness history that night in Madison Square Garden.

“I don’t think I’d be working where I’m working today if it wasn’t for that. The things I learned and my love for, I don’t want to say politics, because I don’t like the politics, I love public service,” Cariota said.

Labasky agrees. She said because of President Carter, people of different genders, races and ethnicities were given opportunities to lead.

“The administration actually listened to us and got our input on issues,” Labasky said.

Over the years. both women kept in touch with the Carter family and got emotional after learning the president had entered hospice in February of 2023.

Both women said he’ll always be their favorite president. Not just for the doors he opened for them, but by the example of faith, kindness and conviction he showed the world.

“It’s been an amazing journey. I’m so blessed in so many ways that I’ve been able to know him and to learn from him. And so grateful that he’s been my governor, my president and my friend,” Labasky said.

When it comes to the diversity President Carter brought to the executive office and federal judiciary, the numbers are pretty staggering.

In fact, by the time he left office, he’d appointed 41 of the 46 women serving as federal judges.

One was Ruth Bader Ginsburg. During an interview, Ginsburg said she didn’t even know becoming a supreme court justice was even possible for a woman until President Carter decided to make the judicial system look more like America.

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