Washington, D.C. – Latino Victory Fund announced the endorsement of five down-ballot candidates in Florida, a key battleground state that is also a target for the organization’s Latino voter mobilization efforts.
The candidates are Franccesca Cesti-Browne, House of Representatives, District 115; Maureen Porras, House of Representatives, District 105; Lucia Baez-Geller, Miami-Dade School Board, District 3; Luisa Santos, Miami-Dade School Board, District 9; and Eliseo Santana, sheriff, Pinellas County.
“Down-ballot candidates are on the front lines of voter mobilization, and they will play a key role in Latino voter turnout in battleground Florida,” said Nathalie Rayes, Latino Victory Fund president & CEO. “Our candidates are dedicated public servants who have worked tirelessly for their communities, and we’re proud to stand with them to ensure they win in November.”
Franccesca Cesti-Browne, Florida House of Representatives, District 115
- If Cesti-Browne wins, she would be the first Peruvian elected to the Florida State Legislature, the first woman and the first Latina Democrat to represent District 115. Cesti-Browne would also flip the 115th District from Republican to Democrat.
Maureen Porras, Florida House of Representatives, District 105
- If elected, Porras would be the first Nicaraguan-American elected to the Florida legislature and she would represent the area with the largest concentration of Nicaraguan-Americans.
Lucia Baez-Geller, Miami-Dade School Board Member, District 3
- If Baez-Geller wins the election, she would be the first Latina elected to this seat. Baez-Geller is a first-time candidate who has 15 years of experience in education and is active in education policy in Florida and Washington, D.C.
Eliseo Santana, Sheriff, Pinellas County
- If elected, Santana would be the first Latino elected countywide in Pinellas County. He has served the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office for 31 years. He is focused on building community trust and his priorities include requiring officers to wear body cameras, end militarization of the domestic police force, and ensure sheriff’s deputies are public servants.
Luisa Santos, Miami-Dade School Board Member, District 9
- If Santos wins the election, she would be the first Latina elected to the District 9 School Board seat. Santos’ priorities include promoting equity throughout the school system, protecting the mental health of our students, and creating a school system that is transparent with every student, parent, teacher, and staff member.
