Anthony Nieves

Anthony Nieves was born in New York, New York. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 1998. His career experience includes working as a financial crimes investigator for the state of Florida and a fraud investigator for the New York City Department of Homeless Services.[1]

Anthony Nieves did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Anthony Nieves. I'm a lifelong community activist and a full-time caregiver for my ten year old son who is on the non-verbal end of the autism spectrum.

I'm running for office because for too long our Central Florida residents have been taken advantage of by powerful political families who profit while hardworking families suffer. I'm running to take our power back from the establishment politicians who prioritize their big donors over their constituency.

I don't have the large corporate donors or support from special interests. This is truly a people-powered movement that inspires action, both by voting, and by getting involved in politics.

I am the most progressive State House candidate in Florida and I'm fighting for major change. As the only Democrat in my race who both lives in the district and is registered for vote by mail, I take my civic duty seriously. I am the only candidate for House District 47 to have signed the petition to get Amendment 4 on the ballot. Our rights are at risk, and I refuse to stand idly by.I believe in universal healthcare, a Green New Deal, and reinvesting in our communities. Our mission is in Returning All Power Back to the People by electing representatives who believe they should work for you and your family, not profit-driven special interests.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Returning All Power Back to the People starts with voting for true representation because we deserve a government that actually works for all of us. Too many politicians in Tallahassee are financed by special interests, not the people they have been elected to serve. In 2022, less than half of Orange and Osceola county voters stayed home. In 2024, we will ensure our voices are heard--with our VOTE!No matter our color, gender, or the content of our wallets, we all want our families to be safe, healthy, and happy. But for too long, special interests like Big Pharma, Big Sugar, and Big Energy have been pulling the strings in Tallahassee. By coming together, we can change the laws so every family has what we need to keep well, every working person has a safe, reliable job, and every community can protect our air and water for future generations.For democracy to work for us all, we must all be included in the process. Our freedom to vote is attacked constantly by Republicans in Tallahassee who purge voters from the rolls because they know they can't win if we all make our voices heard. When every Floridian can safely and freely cast their ballot, we can ensure everyone can afford healthcare, every child has a quality education, and all families have a safe place to call home.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My vision for the future of House District 47 is one where constituents only have to work one job to support their family. One where services like Sunrail are expanded to accommodate the immense growth we are seeing. Where no matter our background, we can afford to go to the doctor when we're sick. I want to see our families thriving, spending quality time together instead of struggling just to pay the bills. From healthcare and housing to jobs and justice, public policies that help everyday families like my own are what I'm personally passionate about.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity and passion for serving the community.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The year was 1989.

I was 14 years old.

I watched other 14 year olds, known as the Central Park 5, being brought in for questioning. They were all innocent, but suffered years of incarceration and abuse. Donald Trump, Pat Buchanan, and Rudolph Giuliani all played a huge part in their wrongful conviction by running and feeding on slanderous attack ads throughout the city.

Today, one of the Exonerated 5, Dr. Yusef Salaam, is a New York City Councilman.

Today, I am a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The effects of climate change will be Florida's greatest challenge over the coming decade. It affects everything else--housing, healthcare, jobs, education, innovation, and of course our natural infrastructure.

With our governor striking the words "climate change" from Florida law, we must push back and demand our voices are heard at the ballot box. Saving our environment and focusing on climate resiliency efforts requires electing representatives not bought by the fossil fuel industry.

I support establishing a state-wide Green New Deal to combat the effects of climate change, expand renewable energy, and create environmentally essential jobs that will revitalize our natural infrastructure and fight the effects of storms, floods, wildfires, and other natural disasters our state’s Republican-controlled government has failed to address, let alone act on.

No matter our party affiliation, we all need clean water and breathable air to survive. Prioritizing how we can mitigate the effects of climate change takes all of us working together for ourselves and future generations.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

-Florida State Senator, Victor Torres

-Osceola Supervisor of Soil and Water Conservation, Valerie Anderson

-Former Trenton, New Jersey City Councilman, Santiago Rodriguez

-Retired Newark, New Jersey Municipal Court Judge Amilkar Velez-Lopez

-Florida Rising

-Rainbow Democrats of Orange County

-Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida

-Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida

-Progressives For Democracy in America-Florida

-Center for Freethought Equality

-Save Split Oak Campaign

-The Boricua Party

-Moms Demand Action Gunsense Candidate distinction

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, and a strong supporter of environmental justice, criminal justice reform, immigrant justice, universal healthcare for all, community credit repair and reform, and living wages with comprehensive benefits. I am a founding year member of the Working Families Party, and form

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am a lifelong ultra progressive member of the Democratic Party and founding year member of the Working Families Party.I strongly support aggressive criminal justice reform that includes the decriminalization of cannabis related offenses, and voting rights restoration.I support universal healthcare for all, and free college for all.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Gun restriction enhancements to further protect our community. I oppose book bans and am for the introduction of critical race theory to be introduced in our schools. We must not censor history. I support a minimum wage increase to an acceptable live standard. With relation to Puerto Rico, I support the people's right to self determination and am a lifelong supporter of Puerto Rican independence. I am most passionate about creating legislation to further enhance autism spectrum disorder social services, and am passionate about protecting the rights of our disabled people. As the father to a child with non-verbal autism, the people of Florida can be assured that I will champion for all marginalized residents of our state. We must also create more union jobs, which I will advocate for. When elected, the people will have a representative that will monitor the rise of the far right, while maintaining a steady flow of information to my constituents that will counter disinformation.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No.

Anthony Nieves did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.