Annette Taddeo
Taddeo, 59, of Miami, is a former Florida state senator. She announced her campaign for Chief Financial Officer in June 2026 and has made government accountability the central theme, criticizing Ingoglia's audits of local governments and saying the CFO should be a 'watchdog,' not a 'lapdog.' She won the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary with about 66% over Earle Ford.
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary with 66% (796,723 votes) over Earle Ford, 34% (416,990) (News4Jax results; FOX49).
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Property taxes Leans disagree· stated position
Taddeo questions the Amendment 3 homestead-exemption expansion, arguing that revenue lost from property taxes would have to be made up elsewhere and that local services still need funding; she has characterized the amendment as an attempt to 'trick' voters into believing the Legislature addressed cost of living. She says lowering property-insurance rates, not property taxes, is what voters raise most.
"If they take it out of one, they're going to take it out of another one. The fact is, we still need certain resources."
Property insurance Leans agree· stated position
Taddeo says the property-insurance crisis is a main reason she entered the race and argues state leaders have failed to adequately regulate the industry, with homeowners paying through rising premiums and market instability. She calls for stronger CFO oversight and accountability of insurers, especially when policyholders struggle to collect after storms. No specific proposal on rate caps or expanding Citizens was found.
"Florida's families are being robbed in plain sight."
Housing affordability Leans agree· stated position
During her 2022 statewide campaign Taddeo said affordable housing was a top priority and called for a limit on how much rents can be raised; as a state senator she sponsored affordable-housing bills. No 2026 housing-specific proposal tied to the CFO office was found.
"Let's at least help people right now with a limit."
Immigration Leans disagree· based on record
Voted against SB 168 (2019), which banned 'sanctuary' policies and required local agencies to support federal immigration enforcement. She has not campaigned on immigration in the CFO race.
Abortion Strongly agrees· based on record
As a state senator Taddeo voted against HB 5 (2022), the 15-week abortion limit, and against SB 404 (2020), which requires parental consent for a minor's abortion. She left the Senate before the 2023 six-week law.
Guns Strongly agrees· stated position
Supported the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (red-flag law and age-21 rule) and has called for a ban on assault-style weapons.
Health care Strongly agrees· stated position
Long-time supporter of expanding Medicaid in Florida.
Education & school choice Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted against HB 7045 (2021), which expanded voucher eligibility.
Elections & voting Strongly agrees· based on record
Voted against SB 90 (2021), which tightened vote-by-mail and drop-box rules, and against SB 7066 (2019), which required people with felony convictions to pay fines and fees before regaining the vote under Amendment 4.
Gender identity laws Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted against HB 1557 (2022), the Parental Rights in Education law restricting classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Trump administration Strongly disagrees· stated position
Democratic former state senator who campaigns against the current administration's direction.
No public position found on 7 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Environment & water, Growth & development, Marijuana, Crime & policing, Energy & utilities, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Government accountability / 'watchdog, not a lapdog' — Says the CFO should act as an independent watchdog over state finances and has criticized Ingoglia's high-profile audits of local governments.
- Investigations of no-bid state contracts (Alligator Alcatraz, Hope Florida) — Calls for the CFO to investigate no-bid state contracts and spending from state emergency funds, citing the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention site and the Hope Florida Medicaid-settlement controversy, and says political connections should not influence how money is spent.
- Insurance company accountability — Says the CFO should use the office's authority to hold insurers accountable for claims handling and premiums; describes the insurance crisis as the reason she ran.
- Oversight of taxpayer dollars / audits — Says the CFO should provide more oversight of how taxpayer money is spent and criticizes the current handling of state contracts and audits.
- Independent watchdog, not a political appointee — Says the CFO should be 'the watchdog for our money' rather than 'the lapdog for whoever is the governor,' and notes she has voted against her own party.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Served in the Florida Senate representing a Miami-Dade district before running statewide.
- Senate votes: against HB 5 15-week abortion limit (2022), HB 1557 Parental Rights in Education (2022), SB 90 elections (2021), SB 404 parental consent (2020), SB 168 sanctuary-policy ban (2019) and SB 7066 Amendment 4 implementation (2019).Sources: CS/HB 5 (2022) 15-week abortion limit - Senate roll call, M… (2022-03-03) · CS/CS/HB 1557 (2022) Parental Rights in Education - Senate … (2022-03-08) · CS/CS/CS/SB 90 (2021) Elections - Senate roll call, April 2… (2021-04-29) · CS/CS/SB 404 (2020) Abortion (parental consent for minors) … (2020-02-06) · CS/CS/CS/SB 168 (2019) Federal Immigration Enforcement (san… (2019-05-02) · CS/SB 7066 (2019) Election Administration (Amendment 4 impl… (2019-05-02)
- Voted against SB 7026 (2018), the post-Parkland gun and school-safety law; the Tampa Bay Times reported that Democrats who opposed the bill objected to its program allowing armed school staff, while the bill also raised the purchase age to 21 and created the red-flag process.
- Born April 7, 1967, in Barrancabermeja, Colombia; moved to the U.S. at 17; founded the translation company LanguageSpeak in 1995; 2014 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor with Charlie Crist; won a Florida Senate special election in 2017 and re-election in 2018; lost a 2022 congressional race and a 2024 Miami-Dade clerk race.
- Campaign finance through July 27, 2026 (per Sparker's Soapbox compilation of state filings): about $46,000 raised from 192 donors plus a $6,000 personal loan; Friends of Annette Taddeo committee $30,500.
Endorsements (as reported)
- Florida AFL-CIO
- Teamsters Joint Council 75
- Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings
- Former CFO Alex Sink
- Florida legislative Democratic leaders Lori Berman, Fentrice Driskell and Tracie Davis; former U.S. Reps. Donna Shalala, Al Lawson and Kendrick Meek
- SEIU Florida; former U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala; United Faculty of Miami Dade College (per Sparker's Soapbox compilation)
- Ruth's List Florida (recruited her to run)