State Senator Annette Taddeo (D), who’s been rumored to announce a 2022 gubernatorial run, is throwing her support behind Janelle Perez (D) in her Senate District 27 candidacy. In endorsing Perez for office, Taddeo commented that the reason she was doing so was because of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). Arguing that he has acted “like an autocrat and less like a democratically elected Governor,” she added that Perez embodies the type of leadership that the Sunshine State requires at this point in time.
With Florida Rep. Charlie Crist (D) and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) already vying for the Democratic nomination, Taddeo mentioned earlier this year that she was “in no rush” to jump into the 2022 gubernatorial race. Still, she is considered a likely candidate to win the nomination should she decide to enter, and she’s just added her name to a list of supporters that back Perez’s candidacy for Senate District 27.
“We need leaders who are going to stand up to the clear overreaches of the Legislature, and Janelle Perez is the right person to do just that,” Taddeo said in a statement released this week. She added that Perez “will always stand by our community, lead by example and is ready to serve the residents of Miami-Dade County.”
The endorsement comes shortly after Perez announced that she was no longer running for Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar’s (R) congressional seat. Instead, Perez has decided to challenge Florida Rep. Ileana Garcia (R). It also comes after Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book (D) endorsed Perez.
In a statement, Perez praised Taddeo, calling her “a true trailblazer, a leader in the State Senate and a fighter for the people in the state of Florida.”
“We are building a grassroots campaign focused on improving healthcare, fighting for voting rights, protecting our children’s health and making sure small businesses and struggling families can recover from this pandemic.”
