Mario Diaz-Balart

Republican Representative of Florida's 26th district

  • Representative

    Florida, district 26

    January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-4211

@MarioDB

mariodiazbalart.house.gov

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11

Congresses Served

11

House Terms

September 25, 1961 (63 years old)

Birthday

  • Born in 1961 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Cuban parents.
  • Comes from a notable family with connections to Cuban politics and art; his aunt was Fidel Castro’s first wife, and his brother Lincoln also served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Changed political party affiliation from Democratic to Republican in 1985.
  • Began his political career as an aide to the Miami Mayor before being elected to the Florida House in 1988, the Florida Senate in 1992, and then returning to the Florida House in 2000.
  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002, serving Florida’s 26th congressional district, which includes parts of Miami-Dade County and the Everglades.
  • Became the dean of Florida’s congressional delegation after Representative Alcee Hastings’s death in April 2021.
  • Has served on the Committee on Appropriations and its various subcommittees.
  • Chairs the Congressional Hispanic Conference and is a founding member of the Protecting Families Online Initiative and the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus.
  • Has shown support for LGBT rights through votes for the Equality Act and against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, although he has also expressed concerns about the act’s implications for religious freedom.
  • Voted in line with President Trump’s position 93.1% of the time during the 115th Congress.
  • Opposes the Affordable Care Act, supports pro-life legislation, and has mixed positions on environmental issues, expressing skepticism about global warming.
  • Advocates for maintaining the Cuban embargo and has a strong stance on foreign policy, particularly regarding Cuba and the Falkland Islands.
  • Supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 but has a mixed record on gun control and immigration reform.
  • Tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2020, the first member of Congress to publicly announce a positive test.
  • Lives in Miami with his wife and son and is Roman Catholic.