Florida
Venezuelan Candidate Samuel Vilchez Santiago Leads Florida House Race with Nearly $200,000 Raised as Cross-Party Endorsement Scandal Continues
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
The House District 43 controversy also involves a dispute over action taken against former state Rep. Daisy Morales within the Orange County Democratic organization following the 2024 Orange County Commission District 5 election.
Morales disputes that she endorsed Republican Joel Montilla, maintaining that her involvement was limited to appearing on a campaign-launch host committee. Montilla has separately stated that Morales did not endorse his campaign.
Angie Gallo, then registered No Party Affiliation, served as campaign manager for Joel Montilla’s 2023–24 Orange County Commission District 5 campaign and publicly endorsed him, according to campaign materials. Gallo registered as a Democrat in 2025.
Morales contends that party rules were applied inconsistently and has sought review of the process and records underlying the action taken against her.
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.
Contemporary reporting provides examples of other cross-party political activity in Orange County. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, a Democrat, publicly endorsed Republican Steve Leary in the 2024 District 5 Orange County Commission race.
Those examples do not, by themselves, establish selective enforcement. Determining whether another political figure is an appropriate comparator requires establishing that the person was subject to the same or materially similar party rules, loyalty requirements and disciplinary authority during the relevant period.
Angie Gallo should be treated separately. Although Montilla campaign material identifies her as his campaign manager and the campaign subsequently publicized her endorsement, Gallo was registered No Party Affiliation during the 2023–24 campaign, according to published reports. She therefore should not be characterized as a Democratic cross-party comparator for that period.
Her potential relevance instead arises from her documented campaign role and possible firsthand knowledge concerning how the Montilla campaign distinguished formal endorsers from host-committee participants.
Morales has requested that the Florida Democratic Party independently review whether applicable party rules and procedures were followed and whether conflicts affected the process.
FNN has not established that similarly situated individuals were treated differently, and no adjudicative finding of selective enforcement has been made.
WHY THE RECORDS MATTER
The documentary record could help establish exactly what action was taken against Morales and the basis for it.
Relevant records could include the original complaints; applicable bylaws and loyalty oath; investigative materials; notices provided to Morales; meeting minutes; attendance and voting records; any resolution or written disposition; membership-change records; and communications between Orange County Democratic officials and the Florida Democratic Party.
The distinction between removal from a Democratic Executive Committee position and expulsion from the Democratic Party itself is particularly important because the disputed 2026 campaign communications reportedly characterized Morales as having been expelled from the party.
The Florida Democratic Party’s bylaws establish rules governing county Democratic Executive Committees, loyalty obligations and party sanctions. They also require records of party meetings and provide for procedural protections in disciplinary matters. The particular rules in effect when the 2024 action occurred, however, should be examined rather than assuming the current 2026 provisions governed the earlier proceeding.
Morales has said that she and the Orlando Sentinel sought records concerning the process. FNN should independently seek the underlying records from the appropriate party organizations and report what those documents actually establish.
QUESTIONS THE RECORDS COULD ANSWER
The unresolved factual questions include:
- What complaints were filed against Morales, and what conduct did they specifically allege?
- What loyalty oath, bylaws and disciplinary provisions applied to Morales at the time?
- Was Montilla or anyone from his campaign interviewed before a determination was made concerning whether Morales endorsed him?
- What action did the Orange County Democratic organization actually take — removal from committee membership, declaration of a vacancy, expulsion or some other action?
- Was there a recorded vote, written resolution or notice of disposition?
- Were other individuals subject to the same rules accused of comparable conduct, and if so, how were those matters handled?
- What records concerning Morales’ membership or status were transmitted to the Florida Democratic Party?
Those records could provide a clearer basis for evaluating the competing accounts without assuming either that party rules were selectively enforced or that the disputed disciplinary process was proper.
_______________________________________
CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: Previous FNN reporting incorrectly identified Orange County School Board member Angie Gallo as a Democrat while discussing her role as campaign manager for Joel Montilla’s 2023–24 Orange County Commission campaign. Published reports indicate Gallo left the Republican Party in 2023, registered NPA, and became a registered Democrat in 2025. Her potential relevance as a fact witness concerning the Montilla campaign remains unchanged. FNN has updated its reporting accordingly.
Florida
Civil Rights Group Honors Nobel Peace Prize Winner Navi Pillay, Highlights Florida’s Trayvon Martin Connection
The Orlando-based civil rights association recalls supporting the former U.N. human rights chief’s 2012 call for an investigation into the teenager’s killing in Sanford.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Civil Rights Association is congratulating 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, recalling her call for an investigation into Trayvon Martin’s killing and the international attention it brought to questions of racial equality and justice in Florida.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Pillay’s selection Oct. 9 for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The South African jurist served as United Nations high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014 and helped shape landmark international court decisions.
In a press release, FCRA President J. Willie David III said Pillay’s intervention connected a Florida family’s demand for answers to a broader concern for human rights.
“Pillay’s call for an investigation reinforced that a family’s demand for justice in Sanford mattered beyond Florida and the United States,” David said.
“We welcomed her intervention in 2012 because families deserve answers and the law must protect everyone equally.”
UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay (Photo credit: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)
FCRA recalls its response in 2012
Martin, an unarmed Black 17-year-old, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, northeast of Orlando.
In April 2012, Pillay called for an immediate investigation into the killing as the case drew international attention and scrutiny of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.
FCRA welcomed that call. The association’s current release cites an April 7, 2012, West Orlando News report that quoted David discussing the case’s global impact.
“The shooting death of Trayvon Martin and Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law have created a worldwide movement that calls into question how justice is delivered to victims of color,” David said at the time, according to the release.
FCRA describes the activism surrounding Martin’s death as a defining moment that galvanized a new generation of civil rights advocates.
Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and acquitted in July 2013. In February 2015, the U.S. Justice Department closed its separate investigation, finding insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges.
The Florida Civil Rights Association (FCRA) held a press conference outside the State of Florida’s regional offices in Orlando in 2012, calling on then-Gov. Rick Scott to take action following Trayvon Martin’s killing. Photo by FCRA.
Why Florida’s case drew global scrutiny
The Florida connection shows how the handling of a local killing can draw international scrutiny over racial discrimination, access to justice and the protection of human rights.
Pillay’s intervention brought those concerns into the international discussion surrounding Martin’s death. In September 2013, U.N. human rights experts also urged the United States to complete its civil rights investigation and examine concerns about racial profiling.
The significance lies in human rights oversight: how public institutions investigate deaths and provide equal treatment can attract attention beyond national borders. Pillay’s call was an appeal for investigation, rather than an international court judgment about Zimmerman’s guilt or Florida’s compliance with international law.
For FCRA, that connection remains relevant to how Florida leaders evaluate laws and practices affecting the communities they serve.
Pillay’s record in international justice
Pillay challenged discrimination under apartheid before serving on South Africa’s High Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court.
At the Rwanda tribunal, she was part of the judicial panel that established that rape and sexual violence can constitute acts of genocide, a landmark development in international criminal law.
David said honoring that career should also encourage accountability at home.
“Her Nobel Peace Prize recognizes a career built on confronting injustice through the rule of law,” he said. “Honoring that work means demanding transparent investigations and equal protection here at home. Rights belong to everyone.”
A renewed call for fairness in Florida
FCRA urged Florida leaders to safeguard impartial investigations, examine whether Stand Your Ground and other laws are applied fairly, and address policies or practices that produce discriminatory outcomes.
Founded in 2005, the association advocates for civil rights, human rights and civil liberties through education, advocacy and accountability. Its statement links Pillay’s international recognition to a continuing demand for fairness and human dignity in Florida.
Florida
Florida Governor Candidates: Donalds Spent Longer as a Democrat; Jolly Reports Longer Republican History
Florida
FNN PERSPECTIVE | Byron Donalds Visits ONYX Gala in Orlando: Could Orange County Help Him Win Florida’s Governor’s Race?
Democratic crossover endorsements provide context. Orange County’s vote margin could help shape the contest between Donalds and David Jolly.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds’ appearance at ONYX Magazine’s Men of Honor Gala in Orlando raises a broader electoral question: Could crossover support in Democratic-leaning Orange County help him reach the governor’s mansion?
Source: ONYX Magazine Facebook Page
Donalds and Democratic opponent David Jolly attended the Oct. 3 celebration at the Rosen Centre Hotel, according to Hoodline reporting citing the Orlando Sentinel. The gathering brought together elected officials, business executives, educators and community leaders to recognize leadership, achievement and service. Source: Hoodline
Organizers emphasized that the candidates’ attendance did not constitute an endorsement. Among the honorees was Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, selected for a lifetime achievement award. Source: Jacksonville Free Press
Orange County, home to Orlando, provides a setting for examining both candidates’ electoral prospects. Its history includes prominent Democrats backing Republicans, while its Democratic vote margins illustrate how the county can contribute to the statewide outcome.
Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds, left, and Gainesville City Commissioner Cynthia Moore Chestnut, a longtime Democrat who endorsed Donalds for governor.
Donalds Has Secured a Democratic Crossover Endorsement
Gainesville City Commissioner Cynthia Moore Chestnut, a registered Democrat, endorsed Donalds over Jolly in September, according to WCJB. She cited Black representation, dissatisfaction with the Democratic ticket and support for historically Black colleges and universities, while acknowledging disagreements with some of Donalds’ policies. Source: WCJB
Chestnut subsequently introduced Donalds at a University of Florida town hall, emphasizing access to his office and fair consideration of Gainesville’s needs. Source: WCJB
Her endorsement raises a question about whether other Democrats, including those with conservative or moderate views, might support Donalds. However, her stated reasons do not establish a broader ideological shift. Dissatisfaction with party leadership or progressive positions does not automatically translate into Republican votes.
Source: Winter Park Voice
Orange County Democrats Have Backed Republicans Before
Democratic Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer endorsed Republican state Rep. Mike Miller against Democrat Beth Tuura in the 2016 Florida House District 47 election — a partisan legislative contest. Source: Florida Politics
In the nonpartisan 2024 Orange County Commission District 5 race, Dyer endorsed Republican former Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary. Winter Park Voice also identified former Democratic state Sen. Gary Siplin, former Orange County Commissioner Victoria Siplin and Winter Park Commissioner Craig Russell as Democratic supporters of Leary. Source: Winter Park Voice
Dyer’s Orlando PAC contributed $4,000 to Neighbors for a Sensible Orange County, the political committee chaired by Leary, according to Winter Park Voice’s reporting on campaign finance filings. The committee also promoted Leary alongside Democratic candidates. This was financial support between political committees, rather than a personal donation by Dyer or a direct contribution to Leary’s candidate account. Source: Winter Park Voice
Former Orange County Chair Linda Chapin encouraged Democrats to support Republican Teresa Jacobs’ 2014 reelection campaign for county mayor while Democrat Val Demings was challenging her. Source: Orlando Weekly
Dyer and Orlando Commissioner Tony Ortiz also endorsed Republican Commissioner Jim Gray in the 2025 Orlando election. Ortiz had switched from Republican to Democrat earlier that year. Source: Orlando Weekly
These examples document individual cross-party support across different elections. They do not establish that those leaders endorse Donalds.
Then-state Rep. Daisy Morales, D-Orlando, sits at her district office in Orange County, Florida. Morales represented House District 48 from 2020 to 2022 and sponsored or co-sponsored more than 110 bipartisan bills that became law.
Montilla and Morales: Participation, Endorsements and Party Enforcement
Republican attorney Joel Antonio Montilla’s 2024 Orange County Commission campaign provides additional context about political participation and disputes over party loyalty.
Former Democratic state Rep. Daisy Morales participated on Montilla’s non-partisan campaign-launch host committee for Orange County Commissioner. Montilla separately confirmed to Florida Politics that Morales did not endorse his candidacy. Source: Florida Politics
Morales brings a record of electoral success in Orange County. In 2018, she won countywide reelection to the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District board with 256,342 votes. In 2020, she defeated four opponents in the Democratic primary, including Samuel Vilchez Santiago, before defeating Republican Jesus Martinez in the general election to win Florida House District 48, a majority-Hispanic district with a large Puerto Rican community. Official general-election results show she received 47,341 votes, or 65.3%.
Morales alleges that Orange County’s Democratic establishment, including Vilchez Santiago, her 2026 House District 43 primary opponent and former Orange County Democratic Party chair, targeted her over an alleged violation of party endorsement rules while treating prominent Democrats who supported Republican candidates differently. She characterizes that treatment as selective enforcement in a defamation lawsuit filed in Orange County.
The documented crossover endorsements provide context for her allegation, but determining whether party rules were applied unevenly requires comparing the applicable rules, circumstances and disciplinary decisions in each case.
Endorsements, financial contributions, campaign management and host-committee participation represent distinct activities. Those distinctions matter when evaluating both crossover support and allegations of inconsistent party enforcement. Morales’ participation in Montilla’s event does not establish support for Donalds.
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, left, the Republican nominee for Florida governor, and former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, the Democratic nominee.
Orange County: A Gateway to the Governor’s Mansion?
Orange County’s influence rests on the votes it contributes and the advantage it delivers to either candidate.
In the 2018 governor’s election, Democrat Andrew Gillum received 296,257 votes in Orange County, compared with Republican Ron DeSantis’ 174,228 — a Democratic advantage of 122,029 votes. DeSantis nevertheless won statewide by 32,463 votes. Source: Florida Division of Elections
The county also voted Democratic in the 2024 presidential election. Kamala Harris received 340,807 votes, while Donald Trump received 258,279, giving Harris an 82,528-vote advantage. Source: Florida Division of Elections
The elections involved different offices, candidates and turnout conditions. Their results provide historical context rather than a forecast for the governor’s race.
Neither Donalds nor Jolly must win Orange County to win Florida. The margin is what matters. A smaller Democratic advantage would improve Donalds’ statewide position, assuming results elsewhere remained unchanged. A larger advantage for Jolly could help offset Republican strength in other counties.
Changes in that margin could reflect turnout, crossover voting or choices by voters without a party affiliation. County totals alone cannot establish how many Democrats voted Republican.
Will Community Engagement Translate Into Votes?
The ONYX gala placed both candidates before a community gathering outside a conventional partisan campaign event. Whether such appearances generate support will depend on voters’ assessments of their records, proposals and priorities.
Endorsements have limits. Gray lost his 2025 reelection bid to Democrat Tom Keen despite Dyer’s backing and a fundraising advantage. Source: Florida Politics
Chestnut’s endorsement provides a documented example of Democratic support for Donalds. Polling and voter interviews would be needed to determine whether comparable support exists in Orange County and how significant it might be.
For Donalds, making a sustained case to Black voters would require addressing the issues they identify as priorities, including housing costs, economic opportunity, education, health care and public safety. Community appearances create opportunities to hear those concerns and explain specific proposals; electoral support depends on whether voters find the answers persuasive.
A Donalds victory would make him Florida’s first Black governor. Orange County could help shape the outcome through the Democratic advantage Jolly builds or the margin Donalds narrows.
What would most influence your choice for Florida’s next governor: party affiliation, the candidate’s record or specific policy proposals — and why?
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