Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist on Saturday formally announced , the teachers union president in Florida鈥檚 largest school district, as his running mate in the November election.
Crist described the Miami native and daughter of Honduran immigrants as 鈥渃aring, loving, empathetic, compassionate.鈥�
鈥淭hat's what we don't have in the governor's office right now. And that's what you deserve to have in the governor's office,鈥� Crist said while at Hialeah Middle School, where Hern谩ndez-Mats spent a decade teaching special-needs students.
After asking supporters if they are 鈥渢ired of the culture wars and the extremists that are dictating what we can say and do,鈥� Hern谩ndez-Mats said, 鈥渆verything is on the ballot this November.鈥�
I'm Karla Hern谩ndez, your Democratic Nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Florida!
— Karla Hern谩ndez (@KarlaforFlorida)
This November 8th, and I will defeat Ron DeSantis and build a Florida that's truly for all.
鈥淚f you care about freedoms, and you care about women's freedom to choose to have autonomy over their body, I need you to vote,鈥� Hern谩ndez-Mats said. 鈥淚f you care about protecting people's freedoms and making sure that they have access to vote, I need you to take a friend to go out and vote. We are here because also on the ballot is our opportunity to bring sunshine back into the state.鈥�
READ MORE: Miami-Dade teachers union votes decisively to keep current leadership
While abortion was a key issue in the Democratic primary campaign, the selection of Hern谩ndez-Mats ensures education will remain a top topic as Democrats try to defeat Gov. Ron DeSantis in the general election. The Republican incumbent also has made education issues a priority, including taking the unusual step this year of helping elect county school-board candidates who share his conservative positions.
Hern谩ndez-Mats, 42, has been president of the United Teachers of Dade since 2016 but has never held public office.
Republicans quickly went after Hern谩ndez-Mats, whose selection was first reported Friday by CBS Miami reporter Jim DeFede.
The Republican National Committee called Hern谩ndez-Mats 鈥渢he perfect fit for lockdown lover Crist鈥檚 unpopular, anti-parents campaign.鈥� DeSantis鈥� campaign tweeted Saturday that Crist鈥檚 choice is a 鈥渟ympathizer鈥� of the Castro regime in Cuba.
The Republican Party of Florida on Friday night called Hern谩ndez-Mats an 鈥渆xtremist鈥� and 鈥渁 slap in the face to Florida parents.鈥� It also took aim at her over COVID-19 issues, saying she supported 鈥渟chool closures, forced masking and, if given the opportunity, would allow the indoctrination of Florida students.鈥�
READ MORE: School boards have become the new partisan battleground in Florida
The state GOP also pointed to wins in Tuesday鈥檚 primaries by two DeSantis-backed candidates for the Miami-Dade County School Board, Monica Colucci and Roberto Alonso. Among 30 candidates who DeSantis endorsed across the state, 19 won races outright and six advanced to the November general election.
鈥淸Hern谩ndez-Mats] must be puzzled that Charlie chose her given that she, as president of the Miami-Dade teachers union, delivered a big defeat to Democrats right in her own backyard of Miami-Dade County, where candidates endorsed by Gov. DeSantis flipped the school board to prioritize students and parents,鈥� the state GOP said.
Teachers unions have long been a key backer of Florida Democrats in gubernatorial elections and other races. The Florida Education Association statewide union endorsed Crist before he defeated state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in Tuesday鈥檚 primary.
The FEA said in that Crist鈥檚 selection of Hern谩ndez-Mats shows he 鈥渧alues Florida鈥檚 students and respects our educators.鈥�
鈥淜arla Hern谩ndez-Mats will be a great lieutenant governor for all the people of Florida,鈥� FEA President Andrew Spar said in a prepared statement. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a mom with two kids in our public schools, a teacher focused on students with special needs, and cares deeply about children, families and communities.鈥�
The candidates and parties have a gulf of differences on education issues, including more than two decades of battles about vouchers and school choice.
DeSantis has fought school boards that he鈥檚 accused of not respecting parental rights on issues such as mask requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic and the contents of books. He and the Republican-controlled Legislature also, for example, have restricted what can be taught in schools about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Democrats have countered that classroom instruction has suffered as Republicans made schools political battlegrounds.
If Crist, a St. Petersburg congressman, defeats DeSantis in November, Hern谩ndez-Mats would become Florida鈥檚 second Hispanic female lieutenant governor. The first is current Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nu帽ez, a former Miami-Dade legislator who was elected with DeSantis in 2018.
Hern谩ndez-Mats was on a list of 18 potential running mates floated by the Crist campaign in June. The majority of the people on the list were elected officials. When Crist unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2014 against then-Gov. Rick Scott, his running mate was a Hispanic woman from Miami-Dade, now-state Sen. Annette Taddeo.
Hern谩ndez-Mats credited her father with teaching her the importance of labor advocacy as he took jobs on farms in South Florida after immigrating from Honduras, where he had been an accountant.
鈥淓very day he would travel to the Everglades to cut sugarcane and pick tomatoes," Hern谩ndez-Mats said. 鈥淟ater, he became a carpenter. A skilled laborer. And a proud union member. You see, my mom and dad taught me the value of hard work and the opportunity that it brings. He worked hard his whole life and taught me to do the same. And I follow his example, it's called the American dream.鈥�
READ MORE: DeSantis removes four Broward School Board Members from office, citing grand jury report
Hern谩ndez-Mats attended Miami-Dade public schools before earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree at Florida International University and a master鈥檚 degree in business administration from St. Thomas University.
Hern谩ndez-Mats described the goals of teaching as a microcosm of the community.
鈥淭hat's the beauty of public education,鈥� Hern谩ndez-Matssaid. 鈥淓very teacher and every student in our classroom comes from the community. So, we have kids that are children of electrical workers, bus drivers sitting next to children of parents who are lawyers or engineers.鈥�
