Jesse Scheckner
United Teachers of Dade, Florida’s biggest public teachers’ union and the third-largest collective bargaining group for education professionals in the country, is backing former state Sen. Annette Taddeo’s bid for Miami-Dade County Clerk and Comptroller.
That’s because many of the group’s members saw how, as a state lawmaker, Taddeo put “education above politics, particularly through her opposition to book bans and her strong support for increased teacher pay,” UTD President Karla Hernández-Mats said in a statement.
“I’m proud to endorse Annette Taddeo because she has been a steadfast advocate for both our students and teachers throughout her career,” Hernández-Mats said in a statement.
“Annette understands that our teachers need the support and resources to do their jobs effectively. As our Clerk and Comptroller, she will work for the people of our community and not for political interests.”
The nod from UTD joins others from organizations including Latino Victory Fund, Ruth’s List Florida, SAVE Action PAC, the South Florida AFL-CIO and a few SEIU chapters.
She also carries endorsements from every member of the Florida City Commission.
“I am so proud to have earned this endorsement from UTD because the incredible work our teachers do is how we build a thriving community, and I will always stand with them,” she said in a statement.
“Right now, Miami-Dade needs leaders that will stand up for students, teachers and families, without allowing political agendas or special interests to dictate what and how we educate our children. That’s how I’ve always led, and will continue to lead as Clerk of Court and Comptroller.”
Taddeo, a former Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party who served in the Senate from 2017 to 2022, is running to unseat former Republican Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Clerk last year.
No-party candidate Rubin Young has also qualified to run as a write-in candidate.
Polling from late last month found Taddeo holds a 12-percentage-point lead over Fernandez-Barquin.
The General Election is on Nov. 5.
