Jorge Malavet

Jorge Malavet is the Republican candidate for Florida House of Representatives District 43 in the November 3, 2026 general election, running against Democrat Samuel Vilchez Santiago in a race with no incumbent.[1] Malavet is a retired U.S. Navy Supply Corps officer who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security.[1][2]

Jorge Malavet served in the U.S. Navy from 1988 to 2008.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree from Regents College in 1998, a graduate degree from Troy University in 2005 and a law degree from Barry University in 2014, according to Ballotpedia.[1] In a Ballotpedia survey, he said he was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, was raised in Puerto Rico, New York and New Jersey, and has lived in Florida for thirty years, the last fifteen in Central Florida.[2]

Malavet wrote that after his Navy career he worked with the USDA and DHS, including ten years with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, most recently as Branch Chief for Budget, Assets, and Financial Management for the Southeast Region.[2] He also ran for the 2026 Republican nomination in Florida's 9th Congressional District but did not appear on the August 18 primary ballot.[1]

Malavet said he is running to bring conservative leadership to Tallahassee, and listed safe communities, fair immigration and strong neighborhoods among his key messages.[2] He wrote that he supports legal immigration and secure borders.[2]

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