Joe Saunders

An award-winning champion for progress, Joe Saunders is ready to return to the Florida House and deliver real change for District 106. Joe Saunders and his husband Edisson Aguilera live in the beautiful Miami Beach neighborhood of West Ave where they are active members of the community. Joe was born and raised in South Florida and has spent his entire life fighting for equality, prosperity, and progress in our communities. Joe’s work in the community began as a student organizer at UCF where he earned 4 degrees, including two masters degrees. Joe’s work as a campus organizer fighting for fair benefits for UCF faculty, environmental sustainability, and LGBTQ+ equality laid the foundation for a lifelong career of service. In 2012, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives — becoming one of Florida’s first openly LGBTQ+ lawmakers and earning statewide recognition as a dedicated public servant who delivered real results for our communities. As a State Representative, he was a leading advocate for public education, affordable housing, economic justice, and environmental protection. And he never wavered in his outspoken advocacy for our LGBTQ+ community. A former senior staff member of the Human Rights Campaign and the current Senior Political Director of Equality Florida, Joe has worked on the front lines of the battle for LGBTQ rights, has been a founding member of the Floridians for Reproductive Freedom Coalition, and a longtime partner to the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. In his personal time he’s worked to build Florida’s arts and culture infrastructure as a Board member of the Florida Cultural Alliance and in 2016, he earned recognition as part of Out Magazine’s “Out 100” list of national LGBTQ+ leaders for his work leading the national response to the tragedy at Pulse NightClub. Over the past decade Joe’s proven that, in or out of public office, he will always fight to make a difference. As a faculty member in Florida International University’s Public Policy Department, Joe helps to engage young leaders in undergraduate public policy courses and graduate courses in nonprofit management. He’s an active leader in the Miami Beach community where he fights for smart growth, protecting our tourism economy, and innovating toward transportation solutions. He is a former member of the Miami Beach Convention Center Advisory Board and current member of the Miami Beach Transportation, Parking, and Bicycles Facility Committee. Now, he’s running to return to the Florida State House to continue his fight for justice, prosperity, and safety in our community. And with your support, he’ll keep delivering results and working to secure an equitable and inclusive future for us all.