Candidate Richard Lamondin Jr., Florida Senate District 38

Richard Lamondin Jr., a Democrat and Miami business owner, is running for the Florida Senate in District 38 in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The district covers a large part of southern Miami-Dade County, including Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest and parts of Homestead. He is challenging Republican Sen. Alexis Maria Calatayud, who has held the seat since 2022. Jeffrey “Doc” Solomon, who has no party affiliation, is also on the ballot.

At a Glance

Office: Florida State Senator
District: Senate District 38, part of southern Miami-Dade County
Party: Democratic (DEM)
Incumbent: No
Opponents on the ballot: Alexis Maria Calatayud (REP, incumbent), Jeffrey “Doc” Solomon (NPA)
Campaign website: richard.vote

Background

Lamondin’s campaign website says he was born and raised in Miami and is co-founder and CEO of ecofi, an environmental services company. In the company’s early years, the site says, he and his brother Lawrence worked multiple jobs and installed water-saving equipment themselves. The site describes him as the son of a Canadian immigrant who went into real estate. It says he is married to Martina, an Italian immigrant who directs a housing nonprofit, and that they have a young son, Leo. It also lists nonprofit board service with Project Transforming Hope, Engage Miami and the ADAPT Foundation. The site gives his age as 38.

When he entered the race, WLRN reported his campaign’s account of the business: he started by installing toilets alongside his brother and grew the company into one of the largest sustainability firms in the country, creating hundreds of jobs in Miami. Florida Politics reported that ecofi says it has helped conserve 10 billion gallons of water and cut customers’ utility bills.

His website says he “has never worked in government or run for office.” He started the 2026 cycle as a candidate for Congress in Florida’s 27th District, seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar. In April 2026 he left that race to run for the state Senate, WLRN reported.

In Their Own Words

When he launched his Senate campaign, Lamondin described his own household costs:

“I pay preschool bills that rival rent. I support my aging parents. I own a home where insurance premiums have nearly tripled.”

Richard Lamondin, quoted by WLRN, April 7, 2026

In the same announcement:

“Florida has everything it needs to give people here a fair shot. What it’s missing is leadership with real skin in the game.”

Richard Lamondin, quoted by WLRN, April 7, 2026

His first TV ad, “Scratch,” draws on his business background:

“From scratch: That’s how I built my business. We grew fast, created hundreds of jobs and helped renters lower their utility bills. That’s how we have to fix Tallahassee, too — from scratch.”

Richard Lamondin, campaign ad quoted by Florida Politics, Sept. 21, 2026

Later in the same ad, he explains why he is running:

“This is really why I’m running for state Senate, for homes you can afford and healthcare that doesn’t break the bank”

Richard Lamondin, campaign ad quoted by Florida Politics, Sept. 21, 2026

Where He Stands on the Issues

Lamondin has never held office, so he has no voting record. His positions come from his campaign website, his announcements and his ads.

Child care and pre-K: His website says his first legislative priority is to build bipartisan support for affordable, accessible pre-K and child care for every family. It also mentions raising early-education pay and extending hours for parents who work nights.
Health care: The site says he believes “health care is a right, not a privilege.” It calls for a public option, caps on out-of-pocket costs, more mental-health services and action on drug prices.
Housing and insurance: He calls for treating housing as critical infrastructure. He has criticized the Live Local Act, which Calatayud sponsored in the Senate, for giving developers too much power, Florida Politics reported. His second ad, “Bar Tab,” says he would “hold the insurance companies accountable.”
Seniors: The site pledges to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and to expand home- and community-based care.
Government accountability: WLRN reported that his announcement promised to lower costs and take on what he calls corruption in Tallahassee.

Several sections of the website still describe what he would do “in Congress” and include federal proposals, such as changes at HUD and first-time homebuyer tax credits. Lamondin was running for Congress until April 2026. Voters may want to ask how he would pursue these goals as a state senator.

“Bar Tab” also criticizes Calatayud’s votes on insurance and health care spending and on funding for the Alligator Alcatraz detention site. In August, Florida Politics summarized his campaign as focused on affordability, insurance, public education and responsible development.

Campaign Support and Fundraising

Lamondin’s endorsements include Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, Senate Democratic Leader-designate Tracie Davis and several Democratic state senators, according to Florida Politics. Former congressional rivals Robin Peguero and Eliott Rodriguez have also endorsed him, along with Pinecrest Council Member James McDonald, former state Rep. Cindy Lerner and other current and former local officials. Political Cortadito reported endorsements from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and the gun-violence prevention group Giffords. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee named him a priority candidate.

In his first two months in the Senate race, Lamondin reported raising more than $300,000. Florida Politics reported that the total included $100,000 in loans from himself and a $30,000 transfer from his closed federal campaign account. The rest came from 227 outside contributions, nearly all from individuals, to his campaign and his political committee, Happy Warrior PAC. By mid-August he had about $324,000, compared with about $1.7 million for Calatayud, Florida Politics reported. His campaign says it is running a six-figure TV and digital ad campaign through Election Day.

About the District

Senate District 38 lies entirely in Miami-Dade County. According to Florida Politics, it includes Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest and South Miami, parts of Coral Gables, Homestead and Miami, and unincorporated areas such as Kendall and Westchester. WLRN also lists Goulds, Perrine, Redland and Sunset. Because district lines do not follow city limits, voters should check their sample ballot to confirm this race appears on it.

When the lines were redrawn in 2022, Democrats outnumbered Republicans in the district by nearly 17,000 voters. By mid-2026, Florida Politics reported, Republicans held an edge of almost 20,000. The same report said housing and insurance costs press especially hard in the district’s less affluent areas.

What This Office Does

State senators write and vote on Florida law and the state budget. They also request money for local projects, which the governor can veto line by line. Senators serve four-year terms. In southern Miami-Dade, recent Senate decisions have reached into local life: housing preemption under Live Local, property insurance rules, water and sewer funding, and the Urban Development Boundary.

The Race

Lamondin faces two opponents:

Alexis Maria Calatayud (REP) is the incumbent. She won the seat in 2022 with 54.4% of the vote and chairs the Senate’s Education Postsecondary Committee. She was the Senate sponsor of the Live Local Act.
Jeffrey “Doc” Solomon (NPA) is a chiropractor and former Democrat who ran for the Florida House four times, most recently in 2018.

In April, WLRN reported that Lamondin would first face Democrat Heniy Dixon, a pastor, in the Aug. 18 primary. No Democratic primary for this seat appeared on Miami-Dade’s Aug. 18 primary ballot, and Lamondin is the only Democrat on the November ballot. The South Dade News Leader’s Aug. 21 primary roundup covered other South Dade contests.

The race has drawn paid advertising. According to Political Cortadito, the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee has run TV spots calling Lamondin a Democratic Socialist. Florida Politics reported that the Miami-Dade Democratic Party objected to the label and stated that he is not one. Lamondin’s campaign says it asked Calatayud for three debates. Political Cortadito reported that her campaign had not commented. Florida Politics ranked the contest seventh among 11 South Florida races to watch this fall.

How to Vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters must go to their assigned precinct. NBC6 reported that early voting in Miami-Dade runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1. Under the county’s rules, a vote-by-mail ballot must be requested by 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election, which is Thursday, Oct. 22. Mail ballots must reach the Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can check your registration, sample ballot, polling place and early voting sites through the Miami-Dade Elections Department.

Community Leadership Alliance is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. This profile is based on public records, candidate statements and news coverage, including the South Dade News Leader. Candidates who wish to submit corrections may contact us through our Contact page.