Carlos G. Smith says Orlando deserves a champion

Carlos Guillermo Smith’s campaign for the Florida Senate gained eight endorsements from unions in the Orange County area that represent 10,000 workers. The former Democratic House member was ousted from office in 2022 in a close race against state Rep. Susan Plasencia. That was after an influx of Republican Party funding with low local Democrat turnout. 

Since then, he’s stayed busy by joining Equality Florida as a senior policy advisor. A photo taken at this weekend’s Florida Democratic Party’s Leadership Blue Gala showed him in a “DeSantis is Just Awful” tank top with a “Make America Gay Again” red baseball cap. 

Smith told City & State that Orlando deserves a champion that defends their fundamental rights and pushes back against what he calls distorted Republican narratives. 

“The GOP has promised to spend every penny to keep me out of the Senate because they know I'll challenge their extreme agenda at every turn,” he said. “Democrats must take every opportunity to contrast our agenda, focused on addressing the struggles of working-class families, with the failed Republican policies that plunged Florida into crisis.”

If Vegas had lines on Florida state legislative races, they would strongly favor Smith. So far, he’s the only candidate in the race for State Senate District 17; incumbent Democrat Linda Stewart is term-limited. Stewart was reelected to the seat in 2022 by over 12 points, so Smith would likely dispatch a Republican challenger if one does enter.