Carlos Guillermo Smith

Carlos Guillermo Smith

Carlos Guillermo Smith speaks at the Florida Democratic Party State Convention in 2015
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 49th district
Assumed office
November 8, 2016
Preceded by Rene Plasencia
Personal details
Born December 31, 1980 (age 35)
Political party Democratic
Alma mater University of Central Florida

Carlos Guillermo Smith (born December 31, 1980) is a community activist, lobbyist, and politician from Florida. He is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives. Upon his election in 2016, Smith became the first openly gay Latino to serve in the Florida Legislature.

Early life

Smith was born in Florida to parents who immigrated to South Florida from Canada in 1979. His mother being from Canada, and father from Peru, Smith was the first member of his family to be born in America.[1]

Smith attended Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, FL, where he graduated in 1999. In 2003, he graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in business administration. Following graduation, he worked for eight years and became manager of Men’s Wearhouse stores in Florida and Georgia.

Early political career

In 2011, Smith was hired as a legislative aide for Florida House Representative Scott Randolph. He served as communications director and senior advisor to Joe Saunders during his successful 2012 bid for the Florida House of Representatives in the 49th district. From 2012-2014, Smith served as Saunders' policy chief and ran his legislative office. In 2013, he was elected chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party. [1] He resigned his chairmanship of the Orange County Democratic Party in the summer of 2015 to focus on his bid for the seat Randolph and Saunders had held before him. [2] [3]

Equality Florida

Smith was employed by political advocacy group Equality Florida as its governmental affairs manager from January 2015-November 2016. While holding the position, he worked on behalf of Equality Florida at the Florida Capitol to compromise with Republican lawmakers on the issue of the controversial HB 43, also known as the Pastor Protection Act, which reinforces that churches and religious clergy can legally refuse to participate in same-sex marriages. Smith secured a success for Equality Florida by reaching agreement with Republican lawmakers that the law would not be expanded to allow private business to refuse service to members of the LGBT community, essentially neutralizing the bill. [4][5]Smith has also advocated on behalf of Equality Florida for the passage of a non-discrimination bill in Florida to protect LGBT individuals in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodations.[6]

2016 Florida House of Representatives campaign

On June 1, 2015, Smith announced his candidacy for the 49th district seat in the Florida House of Representatives. He ran to take back the seat for Democrats from Republican representative Rene Plasencia. Plasencia, who had won the district in an upset over Joe Saunders in 2014, chose to run in the neighboring 50th district, which leans more Republican. On May 3, Smith officially qualified to be on the ballot by collecting the required number of petitions.[7] At one point, Smith faced two opponents for the seat: Republican candidate Amber Mariano and a no party affiliation candidate, Shea Silverman. Shortly before the qualifying deadline, however, Mariano moved her campaign to the 36th district, leaving Smith without a Republican opponent.[8] Mariano went on to win election in her new district.

Despite lacking a Republican opponent, Smith raised more than $150,000 for his campaign[9] and went on to defeat Silverman with 69 percent of the vote.[10]

Over the course of his 2016 campaign, Smith received endorsements from prominent progressive politicians, organizations, and unions, including Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, former Florida House Representative Joe Saunders, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, and the Florida Professional Firefighters State Association. [1] [11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Carlos Guillermo Smith for Florida House 49 official campaign website
  2. ↑ Torres, Frank (July 20, 2015). "Smith resigns as Orange Dems Chair to focus on House 49 run". The Orlando Political Observer. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  3. ↑ Powers, Scott (July 20, 2015). "Carlos Guillermo Smith to leave Dems' chairmanship". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  4. ↑ Auslen, Michael (March 31, 2016). "Florida has avoided incendiary LGBT laws, unlike Southern neighbors". Bradenton Herald. Bradenton. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  5. ↑ Perry, Mitch (March 21, 2016). "Florida's Pastor Protection Act Doesn't Go As Far As Georgia's — And That's a Good Thing for NFL Fans". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Why Religious Freedom Bills Could Be Great for Gay Rights". TIME. April 2, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  7. ↑ Buzzacco-Foerster, Jenna (May 3, 2016). "Carlos Guillermo Smith Receives Enough Signatures to Qualify in HD 49". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  8. ↑ Bowen, C.T. "State House District 36". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  9. ↑ http://dos.elections.myflorida.com/cgi-bin/TreSel.exe
  10. ↑ http://ocfelections.com/SOEER10282_HWFL/ER10282.aspx
  11. ↑ "Florida Professional Firefighters endorse Carlos Smith in House 49". Tampa Sun Times. January 28, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.

External links

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