Anna Vishkaee Eskamani, who has served as a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2018, representing central portions of Orange County, announced her candidacy for mayor of Orlando in the 2027 election. Anna was born in Orlando, and is the daughter of working-class immigrants who came to Florida from Iran.
Anna’s website describes her as “a bold and unapologetic fighter for Florida families and everyday people.” She was the first Iranian-American to be elected to any public office in Florida.
Ahead of the midterms, Anna, a Democrat, spoke to HindustanTimes.com about her vision for Orlando, expanding on critical issues like housing affordability, climate, gun violence and more.
Talking about her vision for Orlando, Anna said, “I want Orlando to be a city where the people who make it run can afford to live here, feel safe here, and trust the government that serves them. I’m born and raised in this community. I went to Orange County Public Schools and UCF, and I’ve represented Orlando in the Florida House since 2018. I’ve watched our city grow quickly, and I’ve watched too many families get left behind by that growth.”
She also highlighted three biggest issues she would prioritize if elected mayor.
“My three priorities are the pillars of my campaign: affordability, safety, and transparency,” said Anna. “On affordability, I’ll focus on making housing, childcare, and everyday costs manageable for working families. That means building more homes people can actually afford, protecting residents from displacement, and laying the groundwork for universal childcare. On safety, I define public safety broadly: preventing violence, making our streets safe for people walking and biking, preparing for heat and flooding, and building a city that responds when people need help. On transparency, I’ll open up City Hall so residents can see how decisions are made and where their money goes, and have a real voice before votes happen rather than after.”
Anna’s comments come just days before November 3, when about 210 million registered voters will decide how much power Donald Trump has for the rest of his presidency. While Trump is not on the ballot, control of the United States Congress is. The midterm elections, held halfway through a US president’s four-year term, decide the makeup of Congress.
Housing costs and rising cost of living
Anna’s family understands adversities, which fuel her hunger to work hard for marginalized members of her community. Anna’s father worked full-time as a waiter in college and went on to work at Florida’s Space Coast for nearly 10 years after graduating with an electrical engineering degree from UCF in 1994. However, at the same time, he also worked as a customer service representative at Walt Disney World on the weekends to try and make ends meet.
Anna’s mother worked minimum wage jobs at fast food restaurants and K-Mart. Back then, Anna, her twin sister Ida, and older brother Arya, would help their mom clean the shelves and refold clothes at K-Mart.
When Anna was 13 years old in 2004, her mother died after battling cancer for five years. As she grew up, this loss, as well as the economic challenges her parents faced, made Anna want to help her community.
Talking about affordability, Anna stressed that it is not just about rent.
“It’s also childcare, transportation, utilities, and wages. As a Ranking Member of the House Ways & Means Committee and State Affairs Committee, I’ve spent years fighting for tax relief that reaches working families, like the diaper tax exemption, and I’ll bring that same focus to City Hall,” she said.
“Childcare costs as much as rent for many families, so I’ll work toward universal childcare through partnerships with providers, employers, and the county, starting by expanding slots and supporting the childcare workforce. I’ll champion living wages for city workers and contractors and use the city’s purchasing power to reward employers who pay fairly. To lower everyday costs, I’ll push for affordable, reliable transit so a car isn’t required to hold a job, and I’ll work with OUC on energy efficiency and weatherization programs that bring down utility bills for all families, and especially for our seniors,” she added.
Anna explained that she believes it is important to reform how we use our tourist development tax to allow the community to have more say in “investing that revenue in the infrastructure and services that tourism depends on and residents need.”
“I also want City Hall to make help easy to find by connecting residents to the benefits and services they already qualify for. Constituent casework has been some of the most meaningful work of my career, and the city should be just as responsive,” explained Anna.
Talking about housing costs, Anna said that increasing housing stock, protecting the people already here, and helping families build wealth would make housing affordable. She stressed the need for having more supply near jobs and transit.
“I’ll streamline permitting and modernize zoning so missing-middle housing like duplexes, townhomes, and accessory dwelling units can be built in more neighborhoods, especially along transit corridors. I’ll also prioritize city-owned land for permanently affordable housing, including community land trusts that keep homes affordable for generations,” explained Anna.
She added, “At the same time, we have to keep people housed. I’ll expand emergency rental assistance, fund legal help for tenants facing eviction, and make sure renters know their rights, because keeping a family in their home costs far less than rehousing them after an eviction. For first-time buyers, I’ll grow down-payment assistance and homebuyer education, with a focus on longtime residents in neighborhoods facing gentrification pressure so they can stay and own. And I’ll hold bad actors accountable through stronger code enforcement on negligent landlords and by confronting predatory practices like zombie second mortgages.”
Anna explained that downtown is also part of this work, and stressed the need to “stabilize the core, add housing so people live downtown and not just visit it, and showcase it as a place that belongs to residents.”
Public transportation and climate
Anna noted that since we cannot “pave our way out of congestion,” people need to be given “real choices for how they get around.”
“I’ve endorsed and testified in support of the STAR Plan, a rapid transit proposal for our region, and as mayor I’ll be a strong partner with Orange County, LYNX, and SunRail to expand frequent, reliable service, including bus rapid transit on our busiest corridors,” said Anna.
Anna acknowledged that her region has been ranked among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians, and explained what she would do to make the streets safe for people.
“I’ll prioritize Vision Zero-style street design, safer crossings, connected bike and trail networks, and well-managed micromobility. Connecting land use with transit by encouraging housing and jobs near transit stops will make more trips shorter and take pressure off our roads,” she said.
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“To keep infrastructure ahead of growth, I’ll maintain and upgrade our stormwater, water, and road systems on a transparent schedule and make sure new development pays its fair share. And because Central Florida commuters already carry a heavy toll burden, I’ll advocate at the regional and state level for fairer transportation funding,” Anna added.
Anna also opened up about climate and environmental policy, adding that these were central to her work in Tallahassee.
“As mayor, I want Orlando to lead. That starts with protecting our aquifer and lakes through stronger stormwater management, fertilizer and runoff standards, wetland protection, and incentives for water conservation,” she said.
Anna explained what she would do to prepare for flooding, beat the heat, and more.
“To prepare for flooding, I’ll invest in green infrastructure like bioswales, permeable surfaces, and restored natural areas, and prioritize upgrades in neighborhoods that flood again and again. To beat the heat, I’ll expand tree canopy and shade, starting in the neighborhoods that have the least of it, and add cooling centers and heat-safety protections for outdoor workers and people experiencing homelessness,” she explained.
Anna added, “I’ll work with OUC to accelerate the transition away from coal toward clean, affordable energy, and the city will lead by example with its own buildings and fleet. Finally, I’ll promote compact, walkable, transit-connected development that protects green space and our parks, instead of sprawl that strains our infrastructure and drives up costs.”
Gun violence and public safety
Anna noted that Orlando “knows the pain of gun violence,” her district being the site of the Pulse nightclub.
“I was part of our community’s response. I carry that with me. Most gun owners are responsible, and people across the political spectrum share the same goal of fewer families losing loved ones,” said Anna.
On June 12, 2016, 29-year-old Omar Mateen shot 49 people dead and wounded at least 58 in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando. Most of the victims were of Latino descent as Pulse was hosting a “Latin Night”.
Shortly after the shooting, Mateen placed a 911 call and swore allegiance to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and said the US killing of Abu Waheeb in Iraq the previous month “triggered” the shooting.
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Mateen was shot dead by Orlando Police officers after a three-hour standoff.
“Because Florida law preempts cities from passing their own firearm regulations, I’ll focus on what works within the city’s authority,” said Anna. “I’ll fund evidence-based community violence intervention programs that work with the small number of people most likely to be involved in violence, through trusted messengers, hospital-based intervention, and job and mentoring pathways. I’ll partner with law enforcement, health providers, and gun owners on safe-storage education and free gun locks to prevent accidental shootings, suicides, and theft.”
She added, “Prevention also means opportunity, so I’ll invest in youth programs, summer jobs, parks, and recreation, especially in the neighborhoods most affected by violence. I’ll support OPD in solving violent crime while building community trust through transparency, clear standards, and strong oversight, and I’ll expand alternative responders for mental health crises so officers can focus on crime and people in crisis get the right care. I’ll also keep advocating at the state level for commonsense measures that most Floridians, including gun owners, support.”
How Anna would ensure economic growth benefits local residents
Anna explained how she would ensure that economic growth benefits local residents and does not worsen inequality.
“Orlando’s economy depends too heavily on tourism and low-wage work. We need to diversify while making sure growth lifts everyone. I’ll work to grow sectors like technology, simulation and training, life sciences, the creative economy, and clean energy, building on our partnerships with UCF, Valencia, and other local institutions,” said Anna.
“I’ll also make it easier to start and grow a business in Orlando by cutting red tape, speeding up permitting, and expanding access to capital and technical assistance, especially for minority- and women-owned businesses. When the city offers public dollars as incentives, residents should get something back, including good wages and local hiring, with those commitments tracked and reported publicly,” she added.
Anna explained that to ensure that residents fill the jobs we create, she will “connect people to apprenticeships and workforce training tied to real openings, in partnership with labor, employers, and schools.”
“I’ll also stand with the workers who power our economy by respecting their right to organize and advocating for fair wages across the hospitality and service jobs our city depends on,” she said.
Anna had one last message for voters.
“Orlando is my home, and I’ve spent my life fighting for everyday people through the nonprofit sector, in the Florida House, and in countless constituent cases helping someone get the benefits or housing they needed,” he said. “I’ll bring that same energy to City Hall as a happy warrior who shows up, listens, and gets things done. Together, we can build an Orlando that is affordable, safe, and transparent, a city that works for all of us.”
