Democratic State Senate Candidate Carmen Torres: ‘It’s About the People of Florida’

The longtime activist and Democratic candidate for the Florida Senate explains how the Republican supermajority in Tallahassee is affecting average Floridians, and what needs to be done to rescue the Sunshine State from the growing affordability crisis.

If Carmen Torres has one political credo, it is this: to serve the public, support our local school districts, cities, and county priorities, and ensure our children, veterans, and seniors have a strong advocate in Tallahassee. 

For over 29 years, the Orlando-based community activist born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been part of many political and progressive social justice, environmental, and equality rights campaigns, and has worked to empower voters and defend democracy. Now, the great-great-grandmother is running for a seat in the Florida Senate (D-25), where she hopes to bring that ethos to the state legislature. 

During a one-on-one interview with Floricua, Torres—who’s married to Democratic Senator Victor Torres—says she can always be found exercising her passion for registering voters. She also spoke about how she sees the current political situation in Florida, and what she believes needs to be done to counter a state government intent on fighting culture wars instead of addressing the affordability crisis faced by most Floridians. 

As a longtime activist and candidate for a seat in the Senate, how do you see Florida today, after more than 20 years of a Republican majority government in Tallahassee?

It’s not about who wins and who loses. It’s about the people of Florida, what’s going on here with respect to property insurance, with the affordable housing crisis that we have. This is a service industry state, you know, and hotels don’t pay that much; others work in nursing homes, and they don’t get paid that much either. So, you have to have two and three incomes in order to make that mortgage or that rent, which is pretty sad. There are also more than one million Floridians without Medicaid expansion. 

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Democrats suffered what many are calling devastating losses after the last election in November. To some, this is ‘just politics.’ But how does it affect average Floridians?

It’s unfortunate that we lost a lot of races in this last election cycle. We actually lost so much, that the Republicans have gained a super majority, and it doesn’t matter how many amendments, and how much the Democrats fought or fight, the [Republicans] are going to pass whatever [law] they want with the votes that they have. [This legislative session,] the legislature just went along with [Governor Ron DeSantis]. They basically rubber stamped everything and didn’t fight back, even if they knew deep down that what they voted for was wrong, you know.

Why do you think that they were actually voting against their conscience or their better judgment?

We hear stories about these Republicans who say, ‘You know, I really don’t care about this law, and I wish that I didn’t vote this way, but I have to vote this way because if not, I’m going to lose my seat’.  So, this is what we’re living with right now, and it’s really unfortunate.

Florida Democrats have been speaking out against preemption, which gives a higher level of government the right to limit or even eliminate the power of a lower level of government. What are your thoughts on this?

This legislature and this governor preempt everything that is happening in the home front. So, for all intent and purposes, home rule goes right out the window. Everything in politics is local. That is a true statement, you know, because [politics] touches you on a daily basis. So, for the state to preempt and take away the rights of home rule is wrong. Take Orange County, my district. Citizens voted on rent control caps, yet that was nullified in Tallahassee. For five years we fought for a tenant’s right bill of rights. It got on the ballot, got most of the votes, the mayor was advocating for the same, and then this legislature and this governor preempted everything. 

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In layman’s terms, what would need to happen so that Democrats can counter the Republican supermajority?

It’s very simple. If we can pick up some seats so that we can deny them the super majority, they will have to come to the table and they will have to compromise. But right now, this is what we’re living with and it’s very unfortunate we can’t do anything else. Except to vote them out. People have to be clear about that. You have to make sure that you vote, you know, in every election, because if you don’t, this is what happens, right?

What would you like to say to Floridians about the need to go out to vote this coming election cycle?

They have to make sure that they are registered to vote, that they haven’t been purged, because that’s going on a daily basis, believe it or not. Hispanics, Blacks, they’re all being purged. You miss a couple of election cycles, and all of a sudden now the supervisor of the elections, they’re going to decide that they’re going to take you off the rolls. So, before you go to the voting booth, check to make sure that you haven’t been purged. If you move, please register at that particular address.

Also, please do not think that you are going to be registered as a No Party Affiliation (NPA) and you’re going to make a difference. Most of the races are done at the primary level and at that level, only a [registered] Democrat or Republican can vote. So, if you’re an NPA or anything else, you will not be able to vote and you’re giving up your vote. So please pick a party, and make sure you understand what the parties stand for.

Are you optimistic about the future of the Democratic party in Florida?

We have new leadership. I’m encouraged that the new Chairperson of the Democratic party, Nikki Fried, has many plans. I believe that we can retain the seats that we have won and pick some seats up. I believe that we can come back.