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Florida's New Congressional Delegation Is Historically Diverse

Bjoertvedt via Wikimedia Commons

Florida’s new delegation to the United States Congress is historically diverse. Thanks to the 2016 general election, the state's representatives are beginning to look more like its residents.

Nine out of Florida’s twenty-seven representatives in Congress are people of color, with four African-Americans, four Hispanics and one Asian-American. The state’s booming Puerto-Rican population now has its first representative in Democrat Darren Soto of Kissimmee. And Democrat Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park is the country’s first female Vietnamese-American member of Congress. The state is also sending another African-American woman to Washington, Orlando Democrat Val Demings. The delegation also includes Treasure Coast Republican Brian Mast, an Afghanistan War veteran and double amputee.

As a Tallahassee native, Kate Payne grew up listening to WFSU. She loves being part of a station that had such an impact on her. Kate is a graduate of the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts. With a background in documentary and narrative filmmaking, Kate has a broad range of multimedia experience. When she’s not working, you can find her rock climbing, cooking or hanging out with her cat.