Newly-elected Democrat Annette Taddeo was sworn into office on Tuesday, becoming the 16th member of the Senate Democratic Caucus which now represents 40 percent of the Florida Senate.
“Senator Taddeo represents not only a boost in our Caucus numbers, but a signal that new changes are beginning in the state of Florida,” said Senate Democratic Leader Oscar Braynon, of Miami Gardens. “As the first Latina Democratic Senator, and the daughter of an immigrant, she is the embodiment of the American dream, and an inspiration to many in our state that have followed in her footsteps. We are proud to have her as our newest member.”
“This opportunity opens the door to everyone who still believes that together, we can move mountains,” said Senator Taddeo. “Whether it’s affordable healthcare, a quality public education, or clean water, these are the issues that matter to the people of my district and to all Floridians. My promises to change the way business is done in Tallahassee didn’t end on the campaign trail. They’re just getting started.”
Senator Taddeo is a newcomer to the legislative arena, but not to Florida politics. The Senator was the former running mate of Charlie Crist during his second run for governor in 2014. She is the former chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Vice-Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, and chair of the Democratic National Committee Hispanic Caucus for Southern States, all from 2013-2016.
Born in Colombia, Senator Taddeo has been honored multiple times for her business savvy and as a Latina entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak in Miami, an award-winning language translation firm that has assisted financial, legal, and healthcare interests in multinational settings.
Married to Eric Goldstein, also of Miami, the couple has one daughter, Sofia.
Senator Taddeo has been appointed to serve on the following Senate committees for the remainder of the 2017-2018 legislative term: Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, Banking and Insurance, Environmental Preservation and Conservation, Military and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation.