The race to replace Rep. Vicki Lopez in House District 113 has its first two candidates: Republican small-business owner Tony Diaz and Democratic finance and politics pro Justin Mendoza Routt.
Diaz, 31, is running to keep the HD 113 — which represents a coastal Miami-Dade County district spanning Key Biscayne and several notable Miami neighborhoods — seat red.
Mendoza Routt, 36, hopes to flip it back to blue.
Diaz’s candidacy comes fresh off a loss in a short-run sweepstakes for the District 5 seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission that Lopez won Tuesday, when the panel voted 7-5 to appoint her over four others who applied for the post.
For work, he owns a printing and advertising space. He also recently opened a fruit tree nursery.
Diaz promises, if elected, to forgo political isolationism and work “across the aisle to lead by example when it comes to putting divisive rhetoric and politics to bed.”
“It pains me to see the growing pains facing Florida. I know that a properly run State Government can easily handle these challenges and more,” he said in a statement.
“That’s why I’m running for District 113 of the FL House. As a business owner with a degree in Public Administration, I will work tirelessly to identify and resolve the issues plaguing my fellow Floridians.”
Diaz was one of five people who applied for the County Commission seat Lopez took.
Mendoza Routt said that following a victory in a to-be-called Special Election, he will support policies that expand economic opportunity, strengthen public schools, protect the environment, increase public safety and ensure working families can afford to live in the communities they call home.
“Our democracy is at its best when everyday people — those who understand just how impossible it has become to get by in our city — step up to run for office and fight for our community,” he said in a statement.
“In this defining moment when our country is divided and too many are told to wait their turn, I am excited and deeply humbled to run for state representative.”
A Colombian-American, Mendoza Routt grew up across Miami-Dade neighborhoods, from Hialeah Gardens to Overtown and Miami’s MiMo district, according to a Wednesday press note announcing his candidacy.
He worked for a decade in finance, rising to senior investment roles in New York and Miami, before returning home to serve his community. Today, he is President of both the Historic Bayside Civic Association and the Miami-Dade Young Democrats.
“Though my story is not unique, it guides me every day and serves as the backdrop of every decision I make because I believe that we are greatest when we unite for the common good. To give residents a chance at homeownership, to address poverty and the rising cost of living, and to strengthen local public schools, because every child deserves the right to a strong education,” he said.
“I am excited to meet with residents who want to live in a community they can afford, where our environment is protected, local control preserved and residents have access to affordable care. It’s why I am running and ready to get to work for the residents of District 113.”
Diaz and Mendoza Routt are running to succeed Lopez, who was appointed Tuesday to the Miami-Dade County Commission. Lopez won the HD 113 seat in 2022 with 51% of the vote to flip the long-blue seat red. Last year, she secured a nearly 55% share of the vote to defeat an underfunded challenger.
According to the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, HD 113 remains a D+4 seat, “providing a significant opportunity for Democrats.” Matt Isbell of MCI Maps also said HD 113 is flippable, noting that Joe Biden won there by 12 points in 2020, and DeSantis won it by just 2 points two years later.
As of 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, the Division of Elections website only lists Routt as a candidate for state office. However, the site lists Routt as running in House District 13 — an error by state staff, according to paperwork his campaign provided to Florida Politics.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet said if or when he intends to call a Special Election for HD 113.
