Jesse Scheckner
Republican Alina García’s run for the soon-to-be-open seat representing House District 115 in Miami-Dade County just gained more steam, thanks to an endorsement from Speaker-designate Paul Renner.
Renner hailed García “an experienced public servant who has earned the respect of her community.”
The endorsement came Friday through the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee.
“Miami-Dade will gain a dedicated and passionate leader that will make an immediate difference in Tallahassee,” Renner said. “I look forward to working with Alina to make Florida the best state for children, families, and workers.”
After a bit of campaign reshuffling among Florida GOP members that saw fellow Republican candidate Alexis Calatayud leave the HD 115 race for a Senate bid early this month, García is now the only active candidate running in the district. In March, Republican Rep. Vance Aloupis announced that he would not seek re-election there.
Since filing for office in January, García has raised more than $356,000. She’s also collected an endorsement in January from U.S. Sen. Mario Rubio, whom she worked for while he served in the Florida House.
Rubio called her a “consensus-builder and common-sense leader who will never stop fighting for our community.”
García’s government work stretches back decades and includes stints in the offices of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Hialeah Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo (when he was a Miami-Dade Commissioner), and Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo.
In a statement, García said serving her community, Miami-Dade and Florida, “has been an honor.” She committed to working in Tallahassee “to ensure that our people and communities continue to grow and prosper.”
“I believe our best days are ahead of us because Florida has strong leaders like Gov. Ron DeSantis and Speaker-designate Paul Renner, who understand that we must build an economic environment that allows small businesses to thrive, protect our coast and water supply, and give our children access to the best educational tools available,” she said. “Together, we will make Tallahassee serve the people and leave our state better off for the next generation.”
