Democrat Lucia Baez-Geller is running against Ashley Litwin Diego in the Democratic Primary for House District 106, where the nominee will face embattled incumbent Republican Rep. Fabian Basabe.
Basabe won the district, which includes Miami Beach and other coastal portions of Miami-Dade County, by just 240 votes in 2022. He won by 4.3% in his 2024 re-election bid, but the seat remains highly competitive.
Adding to the GOP’s angst is a Leon County jury verdict last month finding Basabe liable for sexual harassment and defamation, capping three years of litigation stemming from accusations made by two former staffers.
Florida Politics asked all candidates to answer a few questions. We are publishing their responses unedited so voters can hear directly from candidates. Here’s what Baez-Geller told us:
— Profession: 15 years teaching English and Language Arts at Miami Beach Senior High School and later served as the elected Miami-Dade County School Board Member for District 3 from 2020 to 2024.
— Education: Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education from Spring Hill College, a Master of Science in English Education from Nova Southeastern University, and an Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida International University, where I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning.
— Years in the district: I have spent nearly my entire life in this community as a student, teacher, public servant, and parent.
— Community involvement: As a longtime educator and former Miami-Dade County School Board Member, service has always been at the heart of my work. My community involvement has included serving as Education Chair of the Miami-Dade NAACP, on the Board of NAMI, and in leadership and advisory roles with AYUDA, WLRN, New World School of the Arts, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the League of Women Voters. I also remain closely involved with St. Patrick Catholic Church and School and regularly participate in local civic and community initiatives.
— Why are you running? What are your top priorities if elected? I am running because the people who call this community home are being priced out while Tallahassee politicians focus on culture wars and political games. I spent 15 years teaching at Miami Beach Senior High and later served on the Miami-Dade County School Board, where I stood up for students, teachers, and families when state leaders tried to turn our classrooms into political battlegrounds. In the Florida House, my top priorities will be lowering the cost of living, reforming property insurance, expanding access to affordable healthcare and housing, strengthening neighborhood public schools, protecting reproductive freedom and personal freedoms, and investing in resilient infrastructure. District 106 deserves a representative who will fight when our values are under attack and work across the aisle when it will deliver real results for our community.
— What are the biggest challenges facing this district, and what can you realistically do about them? The biggest challenge is that the people who built this community are being priced out of it. Property insurance, rent, condominium assessments, groceries, utilities, healthcare, and childcare are all rising faster than many families’ incomes. We also face threats to public education, reproductive freedom, and our environment. A single representative cannot solve every problem alone, but I can file and support strong legislation, fight for fair appropriations, use committee hearings to demand accountability, and build coalitions with local leaders and legislators from both parties. Most importantly, I will keep the district informed and make sure residents have an accessible representative who listens, responds, and brings their concerns directly to Tallahassee.
— What is one bill you personally want to sponsor in the next Legislative Session? I would file a property insurance accountability bill requiring insurers seeking rate increases to publicly disclose how premium dollars are being used, including claims payments, reinsurance costs, executive compensation, reserves, and transfers to affiliated companies. Regulators should have the authority and resources to reject unjustified increases, and consumers deserve a clear explanation before their rates go up. Florida has spent years passing laws written for insurance companies while homeowners and condominium residents continue paying more. My bill would put transparency, consumer protection, and affordability at the center of the system.
— How do you plan to get things passed given you will be in the minority? Will you aggressively challenge actions by the GOP majority you disagree with, or is it best to be more conciliatory to secure appropriations and legislative wins? This is not an either-or choice. I will aggressively challenge the Republican majority when it attacks our freedoms, undermines public education, targets vulnerable communities, or ignores the affordability crisis. I have stood up to Ron DeSantis before, and I will not compromise my values to make Tallahassee politicians more comfortable. At the same time, my responsibility is to deliver for District 106. I will work with anyone who is serious about lowering costs, improving infrastructure, protecting our environment, strengthening schools, and bringing resources home to our community. My experience on the School Board taught me how to build coalitions without surrendering the principles that brought me to public service.
— The cost of groceries, gas, housing and utilities is top of mind for voters right now. What specific policies do you propose to make life more affordable for constituents? Affordability must be the Legislature’s central focus. I will fight for meaningful property insurance reform, including greater transparency when companies request rate increases and stronger oversight of how premiums are spent. I support fully funding affordable and workforce housing programs, protecting local governments’ ability to address housing needs, and creating relief options for seniors and working families facing major condominium assessments. Florida should expand access to affordable healthcare, lower prescription drug costs, strengthen childcare assistance, and improve oversight of utilities so families are not paying more because of political favors or weak regulation. We also need investments in energy efficiency, public transportation, and resilient infrastructure that lower household costs over time. Government should make life a little easier, not harder.
— Some Floridians complain that rapid population growth is making Florida less affordable. How do you balance economic growth and development with protecting quality of life for existing residents? Growth should improve the quality of life for the people who already live here, not push them out. That means requiring infrastructure, schools, transportation, water capacity, and public safety to keep pace with development. It also means protecting local control, investing in attainable and workforce housing, expanding reliable public transportation, and making sure developers pay their fair share of the costs their projects create. In South Florida, responsible growth must also protect Biscayne Bay, our beaches, and our drinking-water supply while preparing communities for flooding and stronger storms. I support economic development that creates good jobs and strengthens neighborhoods, but growth without planning, accountability, or infrastructure is not sustainable.
— Many counties have recently enacted data center bans and moratoriums, but our use of AI tools continues to grow. Is there a place for data centers anywhere in Florida, or should other states host the infrastructure that powers AI? There may be an appropriate place for data centers in Florida, but only where the infrastructure can support them and residents are fully protected. These facilities can consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, so they should never be approved without independent impact studies, strong environmental standards, transparent utility plans, and meaningful public input. Local governments must retain the authority to impose moratoriums when necessary and decide whether a project fits their community. I would also oppose blank-check tax incentives for projects that raise utility costs or strain water supplies. Florida can participate in the technology economy without allowing private companies to place the environmental and financial burden on local residents.
— Do you support any form of property tax relief? If Amendment 3 passes, what (if anything) should the Legislature do to help counties and municipalities reeling from the loss of ad valorem revenue? I support targeted property tax relief that helps homesteaded homeowners, seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and longtime residents remain in their homes. I do not support using tax relief as an excuse to hollow out local services or shift costs onto renters and people who are already struggling. If Amendment 3 passes, the Legislature must provide a responsible transition plan and hold local governments harmless for the loss of revenue needed for police, fire rescue, infrastructure, parks, hospitals, and other essential services. The state should establish replacement funding, protect local flexibility, and make sure relief is delivered fairly rather than creating a windfall for the wealthiest property owners while communities are forced to cut basic services.
— Why are you the best nominee to win this seat in November? I am the strongest Democratic candidate because I have both deep roots in this community and a proven record of standing up for it. I spent 15 years teaching at Miami Beach Senior High and four years serving on the Miami-Dade County School Board. When Ron DeSantis and his allies attacked our students, teachers, and neighborhood public schools, I did not back down. I know how to build coalitions, communicate clearly, and fight effectively. This district deserves a representative with the experience to serve on day one and the courage to hold Fabián Basabe and the Tallahassee Republican majority accountable.
— Anything else you want voters to know about you? I want voters to know that this work is deeply personal to me. I am the daughter of a Cuban father and a Colombian mother, and I was raised by a single mom who worked multiple jobs to give me opportunities she never had. I became the first person in my family to graduate from college, spent 15 years teaching in our public schools, and later served our community on the School Board. I am a mother, an educator, and a neighbor who understands how hard families are working just to keep up. I will bring that experience, urgency, and determination to Tallahassee every single day.
Fabrizio is a Jacksonville native and graduate of Florida State University. He has loved journalism ever since he was four years old, when he would flip through the Sunday comics and sports page of his hometown Florida Times-Union. He has yet to achieve his dream job of being a biking paperboy, but writes freelance for several newspapers around Florida. You can reach Fabrizio at [email protected] and on Twitter/X @FabrizioGowdy.
August 8, 2026 at 10:50 am
oh please playing sycophant will not get any candidates any votes we are fine with Mr Fabian Basabe’s representation. Throwing unsubstantiated mud on opponents newer works.
Reply
August 8, 2026 at 10:51 am
oh please playing sycophant will not get any candidates any votes. We are fine with Mr Fabian Basabe’s representation. Throwing unsubstantiated mud on opponents newer works.
Reply
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