Biography
Carlos Antonio Giménez, born on January 17, 1954, in Havana, Cuba, is a Cuban-American politician and former firefighter serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 28th congressional district. His district encompasses all of Monroe County and the southwest portion of Miami-Dade County. A member of the Republican Party, Giménez was first elected to Congress in 2020, becoming the only current Cuban-born member and the first career firefighter-paramedic to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Giménez's family fled Cuba shortly after the Communist takeover, settling in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. He began his public service career in 1975 with the City of Miami Fire Department, where he served for 25 years, including nine years as Fire Chief—the first Cuban American to hold that position. In 2000, he was appointed City Manager of Miami, overseeing a $500 million annual budget and nearly 4,000 employees. He later served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner from 2004 to 2011 and was elected Mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2011, a position he held until 2020.
In Congress, Giménez serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security. He is also a member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party and sits on the Board of Regents for the Smithsonian Institution. Within Republican leadership, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Republican Governance Group and Vice Chair of Community Outreach for the Congressional Hispanic Conference.
Giménez is married to Lourdes Portela, and they have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Education and Political Experience
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Education:
- Bachelor of Public Administration from Barry University, 1999
- Completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, 1993
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Political Experience:
- City Manager of Miami
- Miami-Dade County Commissioner
- Mayor of Miami-Dade County
- U.S. Representative for Florida's 26th congressional district
- U.S. Representative for Florida's 28th congressional district
Throughout his career, Giménez has focused on fiscal responsibility, reducing tax rates, and enhancing public safety. As Mayor, he implemented the largest tax cut in Miami-Dade County's history, saving taxpayers $2 billion.
