Local nonprofit executive and longtime community advocate Marucci Guzmán, a Democrat, filed to run in the upcoming special election for Florida House District 35, which encompasses parts of Orange County and Osceola County.
“I’m excited to announce my campaign for the Florida House. Working families in Orange and Osceola Counties deserve an experienced leader who fights for them and not for Tallahassee elites, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work earning their trust and support,” said Marucci Guzmán. “As a working mom and longtime resident of Orlando who has dedicated her career to working with underserved Central Florida families, I have seen time and time again our community’s disenfranchisement. We deserve better. This special election is a critical opportunity to flip this seat from Republican control and ensure that the people here at home have a strong Democrat fighting for them everyday. That’s exactly what I plan to do and I am excited to bring all of us together and run a strong race that puts the people back in charge.”
A mother of two daughters, Guzmán hopes her campaign will drown out the noise and amplify what people desperately want, a Florida that is welcoming to all. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Latino Leadership, Central Florida’s most prominent Latino-focused nonprofit community-based organization. Her accomplishments span the globe, having organized disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico, Haiti, and El Savador. She also founded Latino Leadership Behavioral Health in response to the mental health trauma caused by Hurricane Maria.
Additionally, with a passion for advocating for special needs children, Guzmán led an effort to pass legislation that made it easier for children on the autism spectrum to receive the critical and unique medical care they need.
Guzmán most recently spearheaded the creation of Clínica Mi Salud, a free medical clinic for the uninsured, which serves more than 800 patients through primary care, psychiatry, pediatrics, and women’s health. She also served two terms on the Orange County Library Board of Trustees, where she focused on highlighting the importance of bringing a new branch to Lake Nona. Her career has been recognized by the University of Phoenix’s National Hispanic Leadership Scholarship and Coors Líderes, and in 2022 she was nominated for “Central Floridian of the Year” by the Orlando Sentinel.
The date for the special election primary is November 7th for House District 35. The general has been scheduled for January 16th. Several Republicans and Democrats are already announced candidates for Florida House District 35.
UPDATE: House District 35 Candidate Qualifies for Ballot by Petition in Record Time
