Candidate Profile: Alexis Calatayud — Florida Senate District 38

Why are you running to represent this district?

I’ve focused on delivering results. I hear from families who are feeling squeezed by the cost of housing, insurance, child care and other expenses.

I want to build on the progress we’ve made, continue fighting for the issues that affect people’s lives and make sure our community has a strong, effective voice in Tallahassee.

What are the three most important issues currently facing residents of the district?

Cost of living, affordable homeownership and environmental resilience.

What experience, accomplishments or qualifications best prepare you to serve?

I created Florida’s Hometown Hero down-payment assistance program, securing a state investment of $300 million for first-time home buyers to make homeownership real through $35,000, zero-interest down-payment assistance loans.

A total of 561 families in the district have purchased their first homes because of the program.

What would be your top legislative priority?

Real solutions for affordability. My job in the Florida Legislature is to be the voice of Miami’s families staying in Miami.

How would you address affordability, including housing, insurance, utilities, child care and everyday living expenses?

Thousands of working families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private health insurance for their children.

I secured $45 million annually to expand Florida KidCare, allowing more low- and moderate-income families to access health insurance for their children.

I delivered the first expansion of Florida’s School Readiness child-care subsidy program in 25 years.

I established the Florida Child Care Fund, a partnership that encourages employers to become part of the solution by providing state matching dollars for employer child-care investments.

How would you approach growth, transportation, infrastructure, environmental protection and residents’ quality of life?

Growth and conservation should never be viewed as competing priorities. I secured $460 million in state funding for our district.

We made stormwater improvements to prevent flooding. We invested in drainage and roadway improvements in Cutler Bay, modernized stormwater systems in Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay and completed septic-to-sewer projects in South Miami.

We invested in Goulds Canal to help prevent pollutants from flowing into Biscayne Bay.

We received state funds for the long-anticipated Ludlam Trail. It will transform a 6.2-mile corridor that will prioritize cyclist safety, provide green space and encourage outdoor activity.

We secured funding to develop a Biscayne Bay Watershed Plan, bringing together water management, pollution reduction, habitat restoration and resilience planning into one coordinated vision for the future.

I secured $20 million in annual funding for Biscayne Bay restoration and championed legislation to improve wastewater management, strengthen water-quality standards and expand septic-to-sewer conversions.

I passed an amendment that protected Miami-Dade County’s local control over the Urban Development Boundary.

Responsible growth matters. We can welcome new families and create opportunities without sacrificing the Everglades, our water supply or single-family neighborhoods.

What changes would you like to see in Florida’s education system?

Less than 60% of students are proficient at grade level. I will champion reforms to ensure our public education system becomes internationally competitive and prepares students for successful careers.

Teachers deserve fair compensation. I fought to secure between $100 million and $200 million annually for statewide teacher-salary increases, and I passed Florida’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Bill of Rights.

I sponsored public-school deregulation efforts that reduce administrative burdens and level the playing field with charter schools.

We invested $150 million in a comprehensive statewide literacy initiative that strengthens reading instruction and progress monitoring with student supports and interventions.

We expanded early-warning systems to identify students struggling in both English and mathematics sooner, allowing intervention before learning gaps become lifelong obstacles.

How would you remain accessible and accountable to residents and advocate for the district in Tallahassee?

I will continue to attend community meetings and events throughout the district, meet with residents, local leaders and businesses and make sure my office is responsive when constituents need help navigating government.

That’s how I’ve approached public service, and that’s how I’ll continue earning the trust of the people I represent.

What distinguishes you from the other candidates seeking this office?

Service. I have dedicated my life to student advocacy, nonprofit advocacy, legislative staffing, education advocacy and now representative advocacy as our state senator.

I know how to leverage political power in Tallahassee so our shared values play an oversized role in shaping policy and funding.

Our neighbors deserve results, not political performances.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about how you would serve and work with others?

The decisions we make today shape Miami. We can build solutions that address the affordability crisis and develop a world-class city