Manny Diaz, Bryan Avila to seek 2022 campaign cash at Governors Club fundraiser

Sen. Manny Diaz and Rep. Bryan Avila will be courting cash Wednesday evening at the Governors Club in Tallahassee, as the duo gears up for the 2022 campaign cycle.

The fundraiser will run Wednesday, Feb. 17, from 6-7 p.m. Attendees are to make checks out to the Diaz Campaign or his political committee, Better Florida Education. Avila’s PC, Fighting for Florida’s Families, is also accepting donations.

Diaz is seeking a second term representing constituents in Senate District 36. SD 36 mostly covers an inland portion of northern Miami-Dade County including Miami Lakes, Hialeah, and Miami Springs.

In 2018, Diaz won the seat with 54% of the vote over Democratic candidate David Perez, allowing Diaz to take over for term-limited GOP Sen. Rene Garcia. Diaz gave up his seat in House District 103 to mount a Senate bid.

The 2018 win earned Diaz a chair position on the Senate Education Committee. For 2021 and 2022, Diaz will chair the Senate Health Policy Committee and will serve as vice-chair for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

The 8-point win for Diaz in 2018 gives him some cushion heading into 2022. But that may understate his advantage in the district. Diaz now enters the 2022 cycle with an incumbency advantage, and the 2022 election follows Republicans’ unexpected overperformance this past November, which saw Republicans flip multiple seats in the state Legislature.

Of course, the 2022 contest will also be influenced by any potential opponents. So far, no other candidates have filed for the race.

It’s not clear what Avila is up to as he is term-limited.

After Avila won another term in HD 111, House Speaker Chris Sprowls selected Avila as Speaker Pro Tempore.

The Wednesday fundraiser in Tallahassee comes as lawmakers gather in the capital for the lead-up to the 2021 Legislative Session, which formally begins in March.

Here is a copy of the invite to the event: