Former State Sen. Annette Taddeo Enters Democratic Race for Florida CFO
Former Miami-Dade state senator launches campaign targeting homeowner insurance crisis and promising consumer protection.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Former Miami-Dade County Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo announced her candidacy for Chief Financial Officer on Monday, setting up a primary challenge within the Florida Democratic Party to face Republican incumbent Blaise Ingoglia in November.
Taddeo launched her campaign with a focus on Florida’s homeowner insurance crisis, citing dramatic premium increases that have burdened state families.
“Florida families are getting crushed. Your homeowner’s insurance bill doubled. Then tripled. And the politicians in Tallahassee? They turned a blind eye or made it worse,” Taddeo said in her launch video.
Campaign Platform and Promises
The former state senator outlined her priorities if elected to the statewide office. “I’ve spent my career fighting the establishment when it wasn’t easy and standing up to the powerful when it wasn’t popular. Florida families deserve a CFO who works for you — not the insurance companies, not the insiders, not the status quo,” she said.
Taddeo pledged to focus on protecting consumers, increasing transparency in state government, rooting out waste and abuse, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.
Role and Responsibilities
The Chief Financial Officer oversees the state’s finances, serves as Florida fire marshall, and sits on the Florida Cabinet, which works with the governor to oversee a range of state agencies. The office also supervises the insurance market, making it a key position amid ongoing homeowner insurance challenges.
Taddeo brings extensive political experience to the race. She ran as Charlie Crist’s running mate for lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket that lost to Rick Scott in 2014 by a single percentage point.
She went on to win a special election for a state Senate seat in 2017 and served until 2022. During her legislative tenure, she represented Miami-Dade County constituents in the upper chamber.
Recent Electoral History
Taddeo initially filed to run in the Democratic nomination for governor in 2022, but stepped away from that race to become the Democratic nominee for Congress in Florida’s 27th Congressional District. She lost that contest to Republican Maria Salazar by 14 points, with a final tally of 57% to 43%.
More recently, Taddeo lost by 11 points in a bid to become Miami-Dade Circuit Court Clerk and Comptroller in 2024.
The Republican Party of Florida responded to her announcement Friday, criticizing her electoral record and positioning. “At a time when Republicans hold a voter registration advantage of more than 1.5 million voters, Democrats aren’t offering a new vision for Florida,” said Republican Party of Florida chair Evan Power.
Power labeled Taddeo one of Florida’s “most perennial political candidates” and criticized her policy positions. “Instead, they’re doubling down on a career politician who has spent years promoting the same radical tax-and-spend policies that Florida voters have rejected election after election,” he said.
The Democratic primary will determine who faces Ingoglia, the current Republican Chief Financial Officer, in the November general election.
