Anna Eskamani

According to Eskamani, she first became involved with Planned Parenthood as a patient in 2008. With abstinence-only education at her public school, she turned to Planned Parenthood for information about family planning and reproductive health. From there, Eskamani began volunteering at her local Planned Parenthood affiliate, and in 2012 was hired to serve as a Development Coordinator. She worked at Planned Parenthood for six years, rising to become the organization's Senior Director of Public Affairs and Communications for the merged affiliate known as Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.[1]

Eskamani being sworn in as a member of the Florida House of Representatives in 2018

On July 3, 2017, Eskamani announced her candidacy for the 47th district seat in the Florida House of Representatives. She ran for the open seat vacated by Republican Mike Miller, who had served two terms in the district before announcing a run for Congress. On December 20, 2017, Eskamani faced two Republican opponents in a primary and one Democratic opponent who did not live in the district, and would eventually withdraw from the race after Eskamani filed a lawsuit[3] challenging his legitimacy as a candidate.

Over the course of her 2018 campaign, Eskamani received endorsements from prominent community leaders, organizations, and politicians. This included President Barack Obama, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, Equality Florida, AFL-CIO, and the Florida Professional Firefighters State Association.

Eskamani identifies as a progressive Democrat, and focused her campaign on enhancing public education, protecting the environment, ensuring health care access and prioritizing gun control legislation.[4]

During her campaign, Eskamani gained national media attention for her advocacy on women's issues and gun control legislation. Pulse nightclub is located in Florida's 47th district, and Eskamani often spoke about gun violence. She was featured on the cover of Time Magazine,[5] in The Atlantic,[6] the New York Times,[7] The Independent,[8] by MTV News,[9] Teen Vogue,[10] and in a Vice News[11] documentary series.

The Orlando Sentinel described Eskamani's as one of the most contentious races[12] in the area. Her Republican opponent, Stockton Reeves VI, sent out at least twenty-five pieces of mail alongside three television ads that were negative towards Eskamani. Eskamani addressed each attack directly.[13] Despite being a first time candidate, Eskamani raised more than $522,000 for her campaign.[14]

Eskamani prevailed in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 57 percent of the vote over the 43 percent for Republican candidate Stockton Reeves.[15] Eskamani became the first Iranian-American to serve in the Florida Legislature.[16]

Eskamani debates a measure on the House floor in 2019

Eskamani was appointed to serve on four legislative committees in the Florida House of Representatives: Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Oversight, Transparency & Public Management Subcommittee, PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee, and Ways & Means Committee.[2] During the first week of legislative committee meetings in Tallahassee, Eskamani made a public decision to not attend a freshman reception hosted by Associated Industries of Florida (AIF).[17] Eskamani was quoted as saying, "I didn't come here for ritzy parties".[18]

During the 2019 legislative session, Eskamani was featured by the Tampa Bay Times as being on the front lines of the abortion debate.[19] She was also a leader for the failed attempt to run out the clock on legislation that would define sanctuary city policies in Florida law.[20]

When a woman who alleged domestic violence was charged with armed burglary and grand theft for entering into her husband's locked apartment and taking his guns into the Lakeland, Florida police in June 2019, Eskamani tweeted that an arrest was "ridiculous" in this kind of situation. She sent a letter stating to State Attorney Brian Haas stating “Prosecuting Ms. Irby sets a scary precedent that if someone seeks help to escape abuse, they will be punished for it.”[21] The State Attorney’s Office dropped all charges for both parties who were involved in a highly emotional contested divorce action in order for them to resolve their issues in a family law court.[22] Eskamani also filed legislation in 2019 to eliminate statutory limitations for a minor who experienced sexual assault, legislation that ultimately became law in 2020. [23]

Eskamani is an advocate for public education,[24] school safety,[25] and environmental protection.[26] Eskamani sponsored ten bills herself and co-sponsored more than sixty.[27] She also succeeded in securing $80,000 for a Central Florida nonprofit focused on human trafficking prevention called The Lifeboat Project.[28] She was also successful in working across the aisle to increase arts and cultural funding statewide by 800%.[29]

Eskamani continued to serve on Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Oversight, Transparency & Public Management Subcommittee, and Ways & Means Committee but was removed from the PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee for being too vocal on her support of public education.[2][30]

On November 5, 2019, during Committee Weeks for the upcoming 2020 Legislative Session, Eskamani and Sen. Jose Javier Rodriquez were successful in preventing Investor Owned Utilities (IOU) in Florida from having lower energy efficiency goals under the Florida Energy Efficiency Conservation Act (FEECA). [31] Eskamani spoke before the Florida Public Service Commission in support of higher energy efficiency goals than the proposed goals and more emphasis on renewable energy sources. Eskamani also spoke for the need for Florida to establish new cost-benefit measurements versus the current use of the Ratepayer Impact Measurement (RIM) Test. [32] Eskamani has tried to raise awareness on the role the Florida Public Service Commission plays in the lives of everyday Floridians. [33]

During the 2020 Legislative Session Eskamani played a leading role in seeking an investigation of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a state organization whose CEO received more than $7.5 million in compensation over a three-year period, including millions of dollars in paid time off. The investigation ultimately led to the State of Florida ending its contract with the organization. [34]

Eskamani also worked with Senator Randolph Bracy to file the legislation to end the school-to-prison pipeline. Filed in honor of Kaia Rolle, a six-year-old Orlando black girl who was arrested by police. The legislation Eskamani introduced would set a statutory limitation on the arrest of minors. The bill took shape as several amendments between the House and Senate chambers and did not pass in the final hours of the Legislative Session. [35]

One of the biggest debates during the 2020 Legislative Session was focused on education. Eskamani filed legislation to prohibit public dollars from going to any voucher school that discriminates against students or parents for identifying as LGBTQ+. [36] She also supported public school teachers receiving a pay raise but pushed for additional funding than what was provided. [37]

Another issue Eskamani championed focused on corporate taxation. During the 2020 Legislative Session Eskamani sponsored numerous amendments to remove special interest tax breaks from the main tax package. She also filed amendments for Florida to implement combined reporting in an effort to close corporate tax loopholes. [38] In addition, Eskamani worked with the Minority Caucus Members to file several amendments to repeal a corporate tax refund of $543 million, stating that those dollars could be spent on essential state services versus be sent back to major corporations. No amendment passed. [39]

In 2020 Eskamani won her re-election bid with a greater vote margin than she did in 2018, receiving 59 percent of the vote.[40]