It’s been less than one month since Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, publicly announced her new campaign for Orlando mayor, and already the 34-year-old progressive says she has raised roughly $200,000 in contributions to support her campaign. Eskamani, who was recently reelected to the Florida House, is term-limited from seeking reelection to the Republican-controlled state House in 2026. The next election for mayor (a nonpartisan position) isn’t until 2027.
“To reach this milestone so quickly is extraordinary, and the support of so many Orlandoans deeply moves me,” Eskamani shared in a statement Thursday. “This campaign is about the people, and every contribution — big or small — reflects the desire for leadership that prioritizes affordable housing, public transportation, sustainability, community safety, and opportunities for all. Together, we’re building a movement and vision that Orlando can be proud of.”
According to a spreadsheet of campaign contributions reviewed by Orlando Weekly, more than 80 percent of the roughly 360 contributions Eskamani has received so far are small-dollar donations of $100 or less. More than 95 percent are from local residents, Eskamani estimates, including her top contribution of $100,000 from local patent lawyer Brian Anderson. Anderson, who served on Eskamani’s finance team when she first ran for state office in 2017, has contributed to her campaigns for Florida House before, proving himself a consistent supporter.
“Our campaign reflects the values and aspirations of Orlando’s residents,” said Eskamani, who’s built out a platform highlighting issues such as affordable housing, accountability in local governance and support for small business owners. “I’m inspired by the generosity and energy of our community as we work together to build a city that works for everyone.”
Current Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, a former state senator who is not subject to term limits, has served as mayor for more than 20 years, campaigning initially as a progressive during his first bid for office in 2003 before reportedly devolving into what former OW reporter Jeffrey C. Billman described in 2006 as “a business-as-usual pol who prefers to conduct city affairs out of the sunshine.”
Dyer, who nonetheless pulled Orlando through the devastating Pulse nightclub shootings in 2016, has reportedly said he’s not planning to run again. Eskamani told Orlando Weekly it was this declaration — both in meeting with him personally, and from public statements — that helped cement her plan to replace him in 2028.
“It’s a pivotal moment in Orlando’s history and projection,” said Eskamani, an Orlando native, speaking to the likelihood of a shake-up in local leadership. “You want to make sure that you elect someone who’s going to be not just a steady hand when it comes to maintaining city operations and improving city operations, but also someone who’s going to address the real challenges that we face, from housing affordability and homelessness to the challenges small businesses are facing, to our outdated infrastructure to public safety and gun violence prevention.”
Orlando is a fast-growing city in Central Florida of more than 320,000 residents, home to world-famous theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando that rely on the labor of everyday working people hustling to get by in our local tourism-centric economy. Eskamani, who comes from a working-class background herself, became the first candidate last month to announce her run for the mayoral seat — and, as of publication, is still the only one to publicly announce their bid. Dyer was last reelected to his sixth term in office in 2023.
A former Planned Parenthood employee who was first elected to the Florida House in 2018, Eskamani works by day as a state advisor for NEO Philanthropy, a left-leaning social justice nonprofit, representing Florida. Serving as a state representative is technically a part-time job, after all — paying just $29,697 annually.
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While still early on in her campaign for mayor, Eskamani has already garnered endorsements from various local, state and federal elected officials, including U.S. Congressman Maxwell Frost, State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, newly elected Orange County School Board member Stephanie Vanos, State Attorney Monique Worrell and Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph, among others.
Within days of her campaign announcement, Eskamani also received early endorsements from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 606 and the Transport Workers Union Local 570 — an unsurprising move, considering she’s one of the most reliable politicians in the area to show up to a local picket line or workers’ rally.
“It is my honor to inform you that IBEW Local 606 and its membership give you our endorsement and 100% backing in your bid for the seat of Mayor of Orlando,” union leadership for IBEW Local 606 shared with Eskamani in a statement. “Your dedication and service to the residents of Orlando is inspiring. You always have the best interests in mind when you are in Tallahassee fighting to protect the working families of your district. I know that you will continue the same fight as Mayor of Orlando to move the city into the future.”
During her time in the Florida House, Eskamani has been an outspoken advocate for workers’ rights, closing corporate tax loopholes that only serve to benefit the wealthy, and earned respect statewide for helping Floridians navigate the state’s broken unemployment system during early COVID-19 pandemic layoffs. She’s also advocated for social and cultural issues such as abortion access and LGBTQ+ equality in a city that leans Democratic.
Orlando’s mayor and its six city commissioners are elected for four-year terms. Dyer’s current term in office officially ends Jan. 10, 2028.
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This article appears in Jan 1-7, 2025.