ORLANDO, Fla. – A year after Mayor Buddy Dyer was elected for his final term in office, a well-known Central Florida politician has announced her bid to replace him.
Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani on Monday announced that she has filed to run for Orlando mayor in the 2027 election.
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According to a news release, the 34-year-old said she is ready to bring her people-centered approach to public service to Orlando’s City Hall.
“Running for Mayor of my hometown is the honor of a lifetime. Orlando is where I grew up, went to school, and started my first job. It’s where my working-class immigrant parents saw an opportunity for their children and where I discovered my purpose after losing my mom to cancer at just 13 years old. In 2027, Orlando faces a pivotal moment. And with so much uncertainty at the national level, we need a people-centered leader with the courage to challenge the status quo and the vision to deliver bold, creative solutions to address our community’s everyday challenges — from homelessness and public safety to small business support and affordability. These issues are complex, but through grit, grace, and a relentless work ethic, I know I am the leader Orlando needs to move us forward into the future.”
State Rep. Anna Eskamani
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Eskamani, an Orlando native and UCF graduate, became the first Iranian-American to hold any elected office in Florida in 2018. She recently won re-election to her fourth and final term, which will end in November 2026.
While in the state House, she said she has “championed issues centered on lifting up all Floridians, secured millions of dollars for her district, and become a leading voice in many policy arenas, including tax breaks for consumers.”
Eskamani was the senior director of public affairs and communications at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida for six years before filing to run for a seat in the Florida House.
Eskamani said her decision to run has already been met with early endorsements from several Florida politicians, including Congressman Maxwell Frost, state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith and recently-elected Orange-Osceola state attorney Monique Worrell.
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