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Today, Representative Vicki Lopez, who is running for re-election in House District 113, announced the endorsement of Oliver Gilbert, Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Commission, and Anthony Rodriguez, Vice Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Commission.
Chairman Oliver Gilbert is an experienced attorney and worked as a public policymaker in areas of education, criminal justice, and urban and economic development. In 2012, he was elected Mayor of his hometown, Miami Gardens. During his tenure as Mayor, he increased corporate expansion and was the driving force behind the exponential growth and development of new businesses within Miami Gardens. Then, in 2020, looking for an opportunity to continue his service in South Florida, Gilbert ran a successful bid for Miami-Dade County Commissioner in District 1 and was tapped to serve as Chairman in 2022. He also holds a senior position on the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Governing Board.
“Since her election to the State House, Representative Vicki Lopez has never failed to fight for policies that address the real issues facing the residents in our South Florida communities,” said Chairman Oliver Gilbert. “She has been a champion for House District 113, and it has been a pleasure to work closely with her on numerous occasions to promote smart growth and economic prosperity in Miami-Dade. I’m proud to offer her my endorsement and look forward to the opportunity to continue serving alongside her.”
Before his election to the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners in 2022, Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez was a State Representative in the Florida Legislature. As a lawmaker, he advocated and secured state funding for several Miami-Dade County-based non-profits, including the WOW Center, a special education school empowering individuals with disabilities, and Casa Familia, an organization dedicated to creating sustainable, enriched, and affordable housing communities benefiting adults with intellectual, developmental, and other related disabilities. The Vice Chairman serves District 10 on the County Commission, which includes portions of Kendall, Westchester, and Fontainebleau.
“As a former Florida legislator, I have been very impressed with Representative Vicki Lopez and her success in delivering on the issues important to Florida and House District 113,” said Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez. “As she continues to serve in the legislature, I know she will faithfully represent the best interests of her constituents and will always fight for common sense and democracy. Thank you, Representative Lopez, for all of your good work, and it is an honor to endorse her campaign for re-election.”
Representative Lopez, first elected to the Florida House in 2022, represents the heart of Miami, including some of the most recognizable and iconic locations in the region, such as Key Biscayne, Miami’s City Hall, Calle Ocho, Brickell Avenue, the Miami River, and the Port of Miami. In the Florida Legislature, she has fought to expand affordable housing, provide relief, remedies, and transparency to condo owners, and support responsible growth.
“I’m incredibly grateful to have the endorsements of Chairman Gilbert and Vice Chairman Rodriguez in this race for re-election,” said Representative Vicki Lopez. “Over the years, they have both served Miami-Dade in a variety of vital capacities that have helped our communities flourish and become stronger than ever before. As the voice of House District 113 in Tallahassee, it has been a privilege to collaborate with the members of the County Commission to get things done for South Florida, and I look forward to the new strides we will make to build an even better future for Miami-Dade in the years to come.”
The Representative is a former member of the Lee County Commission and is a longtime activist specializing in education, prisoner reentry, criminal justice reform, and juvenile justice reform. She has also served in numerous leadership capacities within the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
