FLORIDA — This August, the Republican Party nominated a record number of women and minority candidates in state legislative races.
In the fall of 2021, the Republican State Leadership Committee launched the Right Leaders Network in an effort to shape the future of the Republican Party. The committee has trained, supported, and helped elect thousands of diverse state Republicans in the past decade.
“The RSLC is incredibly excited to see so many women and minority state legislative candidates who not only reflect their communities in Tallahassee but push back against Joe Biden’s failed liberal agenda,” said RSLC National Press Secretary Stephanie Rivera.
NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
The group prioritizes a mentorship program where former state leaders, who now hold high federal or state office, influence the next generation of Republican leaders.
Alexis Calatayud, running for state senate, is a 28-year-old Cuban American who grew up in Senate District 38. She recently served as the Director of Policy and Programs for the Florida Department of Education. To Alexis, educational opportunity means ensuring every child can achieve the American Dream through high-quality, accessible VPK-12 education. She also advocates for affordable postsecondary education programs and workforce training to educate for future job growth.
“Our community deserves principled and pragmatic leadership that fights for greater opportunity, prosperity, and quality of life. I am running for the State Senate to champion economic freedom and educational opportunity – to empower families and to ensure Floridians of every generation can access and achieve their American Dream,” Calatayud said in a statement.
WILL INCREASE DIVERSITY
If Republicans in Florida make gains in the state Senate and state House this November, they will increase the diversity of conservatives in state government. During the last congressional session, the Republican-controlled state legislature successfully passed a law enforcement package to keep communities safe, tax relief plans, and school choice options for Florida families.
"We have the best candidates and the right message to deliver a strong, conservative majority to the Florida House. We dedicated ourselves to recruiting conservative champions from across Florida that reflect the growing diversity in our state. I look forward to leading the most diverse body to ever serve the people of Florida,” speaker-designate Paul Renner told The Florida Standard.
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL GOALS
State House
120 state House seats are up in 2022
104 Republican candidates are running for the 120 seats
46% of Republicans on the ballot are women and minorities
State Senate
40 state Senate seats are up in 2022
35 Republican candidates are running for the 40 seats
43% of the Republicans on the ballot are Right Leaders Network candidates