TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – She’s barely able to legally drink alcohol, but Amber Mariano, 21, will soon be voting on state policy at the Florida Capitol.
The University of Central Florida student was recently elected to the Florida House of Representatives from Pasco County.
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"I've been waiting for that day when I can walk in and see my name on the plaque," Mariano said. "That's when it's going to really sink in, I think. It's a dream come true."
Mariano, a Republican, campaigned while attending UCF and knocked on doors in between writing papers and taking tests. She narrowly defeated Democrat Amanda Murphy by 699 votes.
Mariano said she now hopes to make a splash by focusing on water issues.
"I really want to work hard to bring some money back to my district to fix all the flooding issues," she said. "It's really bad where I'm from. After a simple rainstorm, we flood out."
The youthful House member already has some senior support.
"Diversity is always good, and I actually know Amber well, because she's from my county," said fellow Republican Richard Corcoran, the House Speaker Designate. "She grew up in a political family. Her father's been a county commissioner. I think if there's a 21-year-old out there that is prepared, she probably fits the bill."
While Mariano represents the youngest of the incoming Florida House lawmakers, the oldest freshman member will be only 46 years older than her.
Other notable young elected officials include Doyle Conner, who was elected at age 21 to the Florida House and went on to become Agriculture Commissioner for three decades, and current Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who was elected to the Florida House at 22.