LGBTQ Pioneer and Pro-Equality Champion Carlos Guillermo Smith Elected To Florida State Senate

LGBTQ Pioneer and Pro-Equality Champion Carlos Guillermo Smith Elected To Florida State Senate

Orlando, FL — Today, Equality Florida Action PAC-endorsed candidate and former State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith officially won his race for the Florida State Senate (District 17), becoming the second openly LGBTQ member elected to the chamber in Florida history.

Stratton Pollitzer, Chair of Equality Florida Action PAC, provided the following response:

“We’re thrilled that voters are sending Carlos back to Tallahassee to continue the fight in the Florida Legislature. Carlos is an unflinching progressive and one of the governor’s sharpest critics. He consistently exposes the governor’s lies, hypocrisy, and agenda to strip away our rights and freedoms. When the governor hid public information from voters, Carlos took him to court and won. Carlos is on the front lines, working to ensure the safety and well-being of all Floridians.

In 2022, while seeking reelection to the Florida House, Carlos was targeted by the Republican Party, who invested millions to flip his seat. They have tried to block Carlos at every turn and at every opportunity, but they only made him stronger. Today’s results are an emphatic repudiation of the governor’s extremist agenda and an affirmation that Floridians want a leader who will stand up for parents, their kids, and educators who are under relentless attack. They want someone who’s not afraid to take on the governor directly, the way Carlos has and will.

This victory is a testament to the support and respect Carlos has from the voters in this district. He arrives in the Florida Senate as a champion of the people, unopposed. Congratulations, State Senator-elect!”