Felipe Sousa Lazaballet

Felipe Sousa Lazaballet is the Democratic candidate for Florida House of Representatives District 42 in the November 3, 2026 general election, running against Republican Bonnie Jackson.[1] A nonprofit executive director, he has said he previously worked for the City of Orlando under Mayor Buddy Dyer.[1][2]

Felipe Sousa Lazaballet earned an associate degree from Miami Dade College and a bachelor's degree from St. Thomas University, according to Ballotpedia.[1] In a Ballotpedia survey, he said he was born in Brazil, was raised by a single mother who was a domestic worker, and moved to Florida at age 14.[2] He wrote that he walked 1,500 miles from Miami to Washington, D.C., beginning January 1, 2010, to raise awareness about the struggles of young immigrants.[2]

Sousa Lazaballet wrote that he worked for the City of Orlando under Mayor Buddy Dyer for five years, served as the primary point of contact for people affected by the Pulse tragedy, and later advised the mayor on outreach and policy affecting multicultural communities.[2] He described himself as the executive director of a nonprofit organization with a $3.8 million budget and more than 30 staff members.[2]

Sousa Lazaballet listed affordability, education and healthcare accessibility as his three key campaign messages.[2] On housing, he said he would work to ensure the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund is used for affordable housing, and on health care he said he supports expanding Medicaid.[2]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.