Watch CBS News

Annette Taddeo Wins Florida Senate Seat After Special Election

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It has never been easy for Democrat Annette Taddeo.

Being a winning politician proved to be elusive as she'd never won in several local or state wide races.

But she's now a winner, defeating Republican State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz in a hard fought state senate campaign.

"I kept saying I can't believe it, I can't believe  it," Taddeo said. "Very exciting. Very exciting, but at the same time humbling."

Some are saying the democrat's win is impressive because it was as though she was running against republican President Donald Trump.

"We did and we did not," Taddeo said. "There are clear differences in nastiness. It is not ok to demean people, to say things that are demeaning of minorities or women. We also ran against the fact instead of working with each other to make health care better, they want to take it away."

Taddeo will be one of 16 democrats in the state senate that includes twenty three republicans.

She says she is willing work across the aisle, but what about her agenda?

"Freezing money going from public schools to for-profit private schools," she said. "I think we need to stop that and I think that was a strong message with this campaign. That was a big issue, fighting for public education."

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.