Preceded by Jeanette Nunez Spouse(s) Sonia Succar Ferre Religion Catholicism Role Politician | Political party Democratic Party Profession Attorney Name Jose Rodriguez Party Democratic Party | |
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Born August 8, 1978 (age 45) High Point, North Carolina ( 1978-08-08 ) Alma mater Brown University (B.A.)Harvard Law School (J.D.) Education Brown University, Harvard Law School | ||
Jose Javier Rodriguez (born August 8, 1978) is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 112th District, which includes Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, and downtown Miami in northern Miami-Dade County, since 2012.
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History
Rodriguez grew up in Miami, and while he was growing up, attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Brown University, receiving a degree in international relations in 2000, and, following his graduation, he joined the United States Peace Corps, serving in Senegal from 2000 to 2003 as a business advising volunteer. Upon returning to the country, Rodriguez attended Harvard Law School, graduating with his Juris Doctor in 2006, and then he moved back to Florida, where he taught as an adjunct clinical professor at the Carlos A. Costa Immigration & Human Rights Clinic at the Florida International University College of Law from 2008 to 2010 and then worked as an attorney for Florida Legal Services.
Florida House of Representatives
In 2012, following the reconfiguration of the state's legislative districts Rodriguez opted to run in the newly-created 112th District. He faced Alex Dominguez in the Democratic primary, which the Miami Herald called a "low-key" race compared to the acidic Republican primary. Rodriguez was able to defeat Dominguez by a fairly wide margin, winning the primary with 58% of the vote and advancing to the general election, where he faced former State Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla. Against Diaz de la Portilla, Rodriguez campaigned on supporting public education, encouraging economic growth, and the fresh perspective that he would bring to the legislature, noting, "My opponent practically invented the business model of pandering to voters in Miami and then selling us out in Tallahassee." Ultimately, Rodriguez defeated Diaz de la Portilla by a relatively slim margin, receiving 54% of the vote to his opponent's 46%.