Representative-elect Javier Fernandez tonight won the special election for Florida House District 114.
Fernandez is a first-time candidate who was featured as one of the DLCC’s Spotlight Races. With experience working as a land-use lawyer and serving as the Chief of Staff to former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Fernandez spearheaded initiatives to combat poverty and fought for community block grants to help improve housing options in South Florida.
“Congratulations to Representative-elect Javier Fernandez on this incredible win tonight,” said DLCC Executive Director Jessica Post. “South Florida voters made their voices heard – they are ready to send someone to Tallahassee who will stand up for them and fight for greater access to health care, stronger gun safety reforms, and smarter investment in our public schools. The DLCC looks forward to continuing our work with Florida state Democrats to win more seats in November.”
The DLCC invested in this special election and worked with the campaign to create a strategic field outreach program that included knocking on 14,000 doors in the final few days. Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed Fernandez in this special election for House District 114, which includes Flagami, Coral Gables, West Miami and parts of Pinecrest and Cutler Bay. Tonight’s win comes on the heels of the DLCC flipping 40 seats from red to blue since Trump was elected in 2016.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the only organization exclusively committed to electing Democrats to state legislatures all over the country and winning Democratic control of chambers. For over two decades, the DLCC has been working with state legislative leaders to invest strategically in state programs, which has led to Democrats flipping 40 seats since Trump’s inauguration. The DLCC is building on Democrats’ winning momentum and continues to lay the groundwork for substantial gains in 2018 in statehouses nationwide. State Democrats recently scored critical victories in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, and elsewhere, while also leading the resistance against the Trump administration’s extremist policies. You can learn more about critical upcoming elections and follow DLCC’s Spotlight Races at races.dlcc.org.
