ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Former Florida State Rep. Daisy Morales is criticizing a $40,000 contribution from a political committee supporting Democratic rival Samuel Vilchez Santiago to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee, arguing the expenditure raises questions about priorities as voters in Florida House District 43 contend with rising living costs.

Morales, who is seeking to return to the Florida House, made the criticism in a campaign press release as the Aug. 18 Democratic primary enters its final stretch.

The race is a rematch of the 2020 Democratic primary for the former House District 48, when Morales defeated Vilchez Santiago and three other candidates before winning the general election.

Following legislative redistricting, many neighborhoods and communities previously included in District 48 are now within District 43.

MORALES TARGETS $40,000 PAC CONTRIBUTION

At the center of Morales’ criticism is a $40,000 contribution by Central Floridians for Change to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee.

The political committee has supported Vilchez Santiago’s candidacy.

Morales said the expenditure contrasts with the financial pressures facing families across East Orlando and other District 43 communities, where residents are dealing with the costs of housing, groceries, insurance, health care, transportation and other necessities.

“District 43 families are facing an affordability crisis, and they deserve leadership focused on their everyday challenges,” Morales said. “Sending $40,000 to a Tallahassee political committee tells voters something about priorities, judgment and leadership. I believe District 43 families should come first.”

Morales also questioned what the money could have accomplished if directed toward community organizations.

“Imagine what $40,000 could mean to organizations serving District 43 — food-assistance programs, veterans organizations, senior programs, youth initiatives, neighborhood groups and other nonprofits helping families every day,” Morales said. “Those are the kinds of investments that can strengthen neighborhoods and improve lives.”

Political committees, however, are separate from nonprofit organizations and can legally spend money for political purposes subject to applicable campaign finance laws. Morales’ criticism centers on the political priorities represented by the contribution rather than an allegation that the contribution itself was unlawful.

‘VOTERS NEED MORE THAN TALKING POINTS’

Morales used the contribution to challenge Vilchez Santiago’s campaign message and question whether his political support aligns with the priorities of District 43 residents.

“Voters deserve more than talking points about putting people first,” Morales said. “Actions matter. When $40,000 goes to a Tallahassee political committee while families here are struggling to make ends meet, voters have every right to ask whether their community is truly the first priority.”

Morales said she believes financial decisions provide voters with information about how candidates and their supporters establish priorities.

“A state representative helps make decisions involving billions of taxpayer dollars,” Morales said. “How someone approaches money, priorities and accountability matters. Voters should look beyond campaign slogans and examine the decisions being made right now.”

Morales characterized the contribution as a “sneak peek” at the judgment and leadership voters should evaluate before casting their ballots.

“I believe this $40,000 contribution gives voters a preview of the judgment and priorities they should evaluate when deciding who they want representing them in Tallahassee,” Morales said.

2026 CONTEST IS A REMATCH OF 2020 PRIMARY

The Democratic primary brings Morales and Vilchez Santiago together for the second time in six years.

In 2020, both sought the Democratic nomination for the former Florida House District 48.

Morales finished first in the five-candidate Democratic primary with 4,897 votes, or 39.89%, while Vilchez Santiago received 3,676 votes, or 29.94%, according to official Orange County election results.

The difference was 1,221 votes and nearly 10 percentage points.

Morales went on to win the 2020 general election and represented House District 48 from 2020 to 2022.

“We have seen this race before,” Morales said. “In 2020, voters looked beyond endorsements, political organizations and campaign spending. They examined the candidates and elected me as their Democratic nominee. Six years later, I trust District 43 voters to make their own decision again.”

The political landscape has changed since their first matchup because of redistricting, but the current District 43 includes many neighborhoods and communities that were previously represented within District 48.

That gives the contest an unusual rematch dynamic, with some voters being asked to choose again between the same two Democratic candidates for a Florida House seat.

FUNDRAISING AND ENDORSEMENTS VS. ELECTED EXPERIENCE

Vilchez Santiago has entered the closing weeks of the campaign with substantial fundraising and organizational support, including endorsements from Democratic elected officials, labor organizations and other political groups.

Morales has sought to turn those advantages into a political contrast.

She describes Vilchez Santiago as the “political-establishment candidate” while presenting herself as the “people-first candidate” with previous legislative and elected experience.

The descriptions are characterizations by Morales and her campaign.

“My opponent can have the political establishment. I want the trust of the people,” Morales said. “Endorsements do not cast ballots — voters do. District 43 voters will decide who represents them, and their endorsement is the one that matters most to me.”

Morales has also pointed to the similarities between 2020 and 2026, arguing that Vilchez Santiago held advantages in fundraising and endorsements during their first contest but nevertheless lost the Democratic nomination.

“In 2020, voters had a choice, and they elected me as their Democratic nominee,” Morales said. “Now many of those same communities have another opportunity to compare our experience, our priorities and our judgment.”

MORALES CAMPAIGNS ON EIGHT YEARS IN ELECTED OFFICE

Morales is emphasizing her eight years of elected public service as one of the central distinctions between the candidates.

She was elected to the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District in 2014 and served six years before winning election to the Florida House in 2020.

Morales served two years in the Legislature, giving her eight consecutive years in elected office.

She has made that experience a centerpiece of her campaign to return to Tallahassee.

“I am not asking voters to imagine what I might do in elected office,” Morales said. “I have served them before. They can examine my votes, my legislation, my constituent service and the state resources I fought to bring back to our communities.”

During her House tenure, Morales voted on state budgets exceeding $100 billion, sponsored and supported legislation that became law and advocated for state appropriations benefiting Central Florida and other communities.

“I have done the job, and I am ready to do it again,” Morales said. “If District 43 voters send me back to the Florida House, I will be ready on Day One to work on affordability, responsible state spending, stronger public safety, quality education and greater opportunities for working families, seniors, veterans, first responders, homeowners and small businesses.”

MORALES: ‘DISTRICT 43 COMES FIRST’

Morales said the PAC contribution illustrates what she wants voters to consider when comparing the candidates: who will come first when political and community priorities compete.

“District 43 families should never feel like they are taking a back seat to political organizations,” Morales said. “They deserve a state representative who wakes up every day thinking about their families, their neighborhoods and their future.”

She argued that the election should ultimately be decided on experience, priorities and the candidates’ records rather than fundraising totals or endorsements.

“The question is bigger than one contribution,” Morales said. “The question is who comes first when important decisions have to be made. For me, the answer will always be the people of District 43.”

Morales added: “Public service is about serving people — not political organizations. District 43 comes first because the people we are elected to serve must always come before politics.”

The Democratic primary is Aug. 18, 2026, with early voting continuing through Aug. 16.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Democratic Florida House District 43 candidate Samuel Vilchez Santiago has emerged as the fundraising and endorsement leader in the 2026 Democratic primary while continued questions surrounding the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee’s handling of internal party discipline have become an issue in the closely watched legislative race.

According to his campaign website, Samuel Vilchez Santiago serves as a Senior Nonprofit Manager at ActBlue, where he helps thousands of nonprofits and grassroots organizations across the country build people-powered fundraising programs aimed at shifting political influence away from corporations and toward communities.

According to publicly available campaign finance reports and his campaign website, Vilchez Santiago has secured endorsements from numerous Democratic elected officials, labor organizations, and party-affiliated political committees. His campaign biography states that he serves as a Senior Nonprofit Manager at ActBlue, one of the nation’s largest Democratic fundraising platforms.

Vilchez Santiago has also publicly discussed his family’s political history, including fleeing Venezuela and seeking asylum in the United States as political refugees.

“I grew up with politics in my house. My grandfather was a communist and my parents were very politically involved against the Chavista regime.”

— Samuel Vilchez Santiago, quoted in a 2019 Princeton University profile

The statement has become part of his publicly available political biography and has resurfaced during the 2026 campaign as voters examine candidates’ personal backgrounds and political histories.

The statement has received renewed attention amid heightened national political debate over socialism and communism. President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders have frequently criticized segments of the Democratic Party by arguing that some Democratic candidates and democratic socialist movements reflect increasingly left-wing political ideologies. Although Vilchez Santiago has not publicly identified himself as a communist, his own description of his family’s political history has become part of the broader political discussion surrounding his candidacy.

Campaign finance reports show that Central Floridians for Change PAC, affiliated with Samuel Vilchez Santiago’s political operation, contributed $40,000 to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee ahead of the August 18, 2026, Democratic primary.

Fundraising and Endorsement Advantage

The Democratic primary for Florida House District 43 has developed into one of Central Florida’s most competitive legislative contests, with a significant disparity in campaign fundraising between the two Democratic candidates.

According to campaign finance reports, Vilchez Santiago‘s campaign raised more than $139,000 and spent more than $114,000 during the election cycle.

A political committee affiliated with Vilchez Santiago’s political operation, Central Floridians for Change PAC, reported raising more than $55,000 and spending approximately $43,000. The PAC’s chair and treasurer is José Gamboa, who also serves as treasurer for Vilchez Santiago’s campaign. Gamboa is also an Account Management Specialist with the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue.

Campaign finance reports show one of the PAC’s largest expenditures was a $40,000 contribution to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee, the political committee responsible for supporting Democratic candidates seeking election to the Florida House of Representatives. The contribution represents a substantial portion of the PAC’s reported expenditures and has become a point of discussion during the Democratic primary.

Combined, the campaign and PAC reported raising approximately $200,000, giving Vilchez Santiago a significant financial advantage over former State Representative Daisy Morales, whose campaign finance reports show approximately $8,400 raised and about $6,500 spent during the same reporting period.

Campaign finance reports show that Johanna López, then a candidate for Florida House District 43, raised approximately $58,000 during the 2022 election cycle. As the incumbent seeking reelection in 2024, her campaign finance reports show she raised approximately $68,000 for the same Florida House District 43 seat now being contested by Samuel Vilchez Santiago and Daisy Morales.

Vilchez Santiago has also secured endorsement from current Florida House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, numerous Democratic elected officials, organized labor unions, and party-affiliated organizations.

Despite the fundraising disparity, history suggests campaign spending alone does not determine election outcomes. During the 2020 Democratic primary for Florida House District 48, Vilchez Santiago also enjoyed a fundraising and endorsement advantage. Morales nevertheless defeated him by approximately ten percentage points before winning the general election and serving in the Florida House.

Political observers noted Morales’ countywide name recognition, earned during her service as an elected Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, may have contributed to that victory.

While fundraising and endorsements often increase campaign visibility, advertising, and voter outreach, Morales has argued that legislative experience, constituent service, and a demonstrated record of passing legislation are more important measures of a candidate’s preparedness to serve in the Florida House.

Former Rivals Meet Again

The 2026 Democratic primary represents a rematch between Vilchez Santiago and Morales, whose political rivalry dates back to the 2020 election.

During Vilchez Santiago’s 2020 campaign, current State Representative Johanna López served as his campaign manager, while José Gamboa served as deputy campaign for Vilchez Santiago’s campain.

Morales has argued that these longstanding political relationships warrant public examination because several individuals connected to Vilchez Santiago’s earlier campaigns later assumed influential roles within Democratic Party organizations or campaign operations.

Florida National News has not independently concluded that these relationships affected any party disciplinary decisions. However, Morales has cited them as part of her request for an independent review by the Florida Democratic Party.

Morales continues to emphasize her legislative accomplishments, constituent services, appropriations secured for Central Florida, and previous electoral victories as evidence that she is prepared to return to Tallahassee.

Local Democratic Party Dispute Continues

Beyond traditional campaign issues, the House District 43 race has become intertwined with an ongoing dispute involving the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee.

According to campaign records, Angie Gallo endorsed and served as campaign manager for Republican candidate Joel Montilla’s campaign

Morales contends the committee selectively enforced party rules following the 2024 Orange County Commission District 5 election, ultimately resulting in her removal from the local Democratic Party.

According to several news reports, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer endorsed Republican former Winter Park Mayor and Orange County Commission District 5 candidate Steve Leary. Mayor Dyer has endorsed Republican candidates in previous elections as well. Florida National News is not aware of any public disciplinary action taken by the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee regarding those cross-party endorsements.

According to Morales, other Democrats who participated in the same election and allegedly engaged in similar cross-party political activity were not subjected to comparable disciplinary proceedings.

Morales said her removal, combined with the absence of publicly known disciplinary action against other Democrats in similar circumstances, raises questions about whether party rules were enforced consistently, whether preferential treatment was given, and whether adequate oversight existed throughout the disciplinary process.

Morales has requested that the Florida Democratic Party conduct an independent review to determine whether party rules were applied consistently, whether due process requirements were followed, and whether conflicts of interest existed during the disciplinary process.

Florida National News has not independently verified those allegations, and the Florida Democratic Party has not publicly announced the results of any review concerning the matter.

Why the Records Matter

Morales has stated that both she and the Orlando Sentinel requested records concerning the disciplinary process, including meeting minutes, resolutions, voting records, notices of alleged violations, correspondence, investigative materials, and documentation supporting the committee’s actions.

According to Morales, those records are necessary to determine whether party bylaws were followed and whether disciplinary procedures were applied equally to similarly situated Democrats.

Florida National News will also request the same records from both the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee and the Florida Democratic Party and will publish any responsive documents or official statements received.

Questions That Remain

Several questions remain unanswered as the Democratic primary approaches, including:

• Were identical party rules applied consistently to every Democrat involved in the 2024 Orange County Commission District 5 race?
• What official findings, if any, supported the committee’s disciplinary action?
• Will the Florida Democratic Party conduct or publish an independent review?
• Will the requested records be released to the public?

Florida National News will continue reporting on campaign finance filings, public records, candidate responses, and any official actions related to this matter as additional information becomes available.