Miami Connection
Annette Taddeo has been a cornerstone of Miami-Dade politics and business for nearly 30 years, representing Senate District 40 which covers key areas of South Florida and flipping it blue in 2017 as the first Latina Democrat in Florida Senate history. Her LanguageSpeak business operates from Miami, contributing to the local economy, and she moved there post-Hurricane Andrew to rebuild her family's life, starting her entrepreneurial journey in a motor home. Currently campaigning for Miami-Dade Clerk and Comptroller, she focuses on protecting residents, ensuring accountability in tax dollars, and a fair justice system directly impacting South Florida communities.
About
Born in Colombia on April 7, 1967, Annette Taddeo overcame significant challenges early in life, including 19 major surgeries for a cleft lip and fleeing to the U.S. at 17 after her father was kidnapped by a Marxist group funded by the Cuban regime. She worked her way through college waiting tables in Alabama before moving to Miami after Hurricane Andrew, where she founded LanguageSpeak at age 22, a translation business serving over 240 languages named among Florida's Top 100 Small Businesses. In 2017, she made history as the first Latina Democrat elected to the Florida State Senate, flipping a Republican-held seat in District 40 and serving until her term ended in 2026. A working mom living in Miami with husband Dr. Eric Goldstein and daughter Sofia, Taddeo has fought for living wages, women's rights, affordable healthcare, safe schools, and gun violence prevention. She ran for U.S. Congress in Florida's 27th District in 2022 and the Democratic primary for governor in 2021, and was selected as Charlie Crist's running mate for Lieutenant Governor in 2014.