GetWiki

{{Short description|American politician (born 1971)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}

factoids

| term_start = January 3, 2019| term_end = January 3, 2021| predecessor = Carlos CurbeloCarlos A. Giménez>Carlos Giménez| birth_name = Debbie Jessika Mucarsel Gil197118}}| birth_place = Guayaquil, EcuadorDemocratic Party (United States)>Democratic| spouse = Robert Powell| children = 3Pitzer College (Bachelor of Arts>BA)Claremont Graduate University (MA)}}Debbie Jessika Mucarsel-Powell ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|uː|k|ɑː|r|s|ɛ|l}} {{respell|MOO|kar|sell}}; born January 18, 1971)Florida New Members 2019, The Hill is an American politician and academic administrator who served as a U.S. representative for {{ushr|FL|26}} from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, her district covered the southern part of Miami-Dade County, including Homestead, as well as the Florida Keys. Mucarsel-Powell was the first Ecuadorian American and first South American-born immigrant to serve as a member of the U.S. Congress.Murcarsel-Powell was defeated in her 2020 re-election bid by Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos Giménez.On August 22, 2023, Mucarsel-Powell announced she would be running in the 2024 United States Senate election in Florida against incumbent Republican Rick Scott.NEWS, Wang, Amy, Sotomayer, Mariana, Leigh Ann, Caldwell, Former Democratic congresswoman to challenge Rick Scott for Florida Senate seat,weblink The Washington Post, 22 August 2023,

Early life and education

Mucarsel-Powell was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and raised in Miami, Florida, the daughter of Imelda Gil and Guido Mucarsel Yunes. Mucarsel-Powell immigrated to the United States when she was 14 years old with her mother and three older sisters. She began working in a doughnut shop and continued to work to help support her family, who shared a one bedroom apartment.Mucarsel-Powell attended Pomona Catholic High School in Pomona, California, graduating in 1988. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Pitzer College in 1992 and a Master of Arts in international political economy from Claremont Graduate University in 1996.WEB, 2020-07-22, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell,weblink 2023-08-22, Official Congressional Directory, en,

Earlier career

Mucarsel-Powell worked for non-profits including the Hope Center, Zoo Miami Foundation, and the Coral Restoration Foundation. From 2003 to 2007, she served as the director of development at Florida International University (FIU). She was the associate vice president for advancement at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine from 2007 to 2011.WEB,weblink Debbie Mucarsel-Powell's Biography, Vote Smart, en-US, 2018-11-20, Mucarsel-Powell became an associate dean at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.WEB, August 2, 2017, Carlos Curbelo Gets Democratic Challenger Who Emigrated from Ecuador,weblink October 25, 2018, Roll Call, WEB,weblink Two Latinos, Carlos Curbelo and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell battle for Florida congressional seat, October 3, 2018, NBC News, October 25, 2018, Mucarsel-Powell volunteered for the presidential campaigns of John Kerry and Barack Obama. In 2016, she ran unsuccessfully against Anitere Flores for the Florida Senate.WEB,weblink Democratic activist wants to be part of Florida's blue wave | McClatchy Washington Bureau, Clark, Lesley, October 5, 2018, McClatchyDC, October 25, 2018,

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

{{See also|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida#District 26}}In August 2017, Mucarsel-Powell announced she would challenge Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo in {{ushr|FL|26}} of the United States House of Representatives in the 2018 elections.NEWS,weblink Curbelo draws Democratic challenger in swing Florida district, Miami Herald, November 7, 2018, en, She defeated veteran Demetries Grimes in the Democratic Party primary election, receiving 63.5% of the vote.WEB,weblink Former educator secures Democratic nod to challenge Curbelo in Florida, Max, Greenwood, The Hill, August 28, 2018, November 12, 2018, In the November 6 general election, Mucarsel-Powell defeated Curbelo, receiving 50.9% of the vote,NEWS,weblink Florida Election Results: 26th House District, November 7, 2018, en, becoming the first Ecuadorian-born person to be elected to the United States Congress and the first woman to represent Florida's 26th congressional district.WEB,weblink Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, la primera ecuatoriana elegida al Congreso de EEUU, La República EC, es, November 6, 2018, November 12, 2018, WEB, Killion, Ann,weblink The Latest: Nelson campaign supporting recount 'to win', San Francisco Chronicle, November 12, 2018, dead,weblink November 7, 2018,

2020

{{See also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida#District 26}}Mucarsel-Powell was defeated for re-election by the Republican nominee, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez.NEWS,weblink Republican Gimenez unseats Democrat Mucarsel-Powell in Florida House race, Politico, November 4, 2020, November 25, 2020, Dixon, Matt,

Tenure

On December 18, 2019, Mucarsel-Powell voted to impeach President Donald Trump.WEB,weblink WHIP COUNT: Here's which members of the House voted for and against impeaching Trump, Business Insider,

Committee assignments

• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Source: Clerk of the House of RepresentativesWEB,weblink Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives - Official Alphabetical List, clerk.house.gov, 2019-02-04,

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Animal Protection Caucus
• Congressional Caucus for Women's IssuesWEB,weblink The Women's Caucus, Women's Congressional Policy Institute, en-US, 2019-02-04,
• Congressional Hispanic CaucusWEB,weblink Members, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, en, 2019-02-04, November 12, 2019,weblink dead,
• Congressional LGBT Equality CaucusWEB, Members,weblink LGBT Equality Caucus, en,
• Congressional Progressive CaucusWEB,weblink Congressional Progressive Caucus : Caucus Members, Congressional Progressive Caucus, 2019-02-04,
• New Democrat CoalitionWEB,weblink Members, New Democrat Coalition, en, 2019-02-04, February 8, 2018,weblink dead,

Post-congressional career

In April 2021, Mucarsel-Powell joined Giffords as a senior adviser, intending to lobby the U.S. Senate to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.WEB,weblink Latina ex-Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell takes new role on personal mission: Gun control, NBC News, April 6, 2021,

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change | title=Florida State Senate, 23rd district, 2016}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box total no change }}{{Election box hold with party link no change| winner = Republican Party (United States)| loser = Democratic Party (United States)}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change | title=Democratic primary results}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box total no change }}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change | title=Florida's 26th congressional district election, 2018}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box total no change }}{{Election box gain with party link no change| winner = Democratic Party (United States)| loser = Republican Party (United States)}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=Florida's 26th congressional district election, 2020}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Carlos A. Giménez|party=Republican Party (United States)|percentage=51.7|votes=177,211}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (incumbent)|votes=165,377|percentage=48.3}}{{Election box total no change|percentage=100.0|votes=342,588}}{{Election box gain with party link no change|loser=Democratic Party (United States)|winner=Republican Party (United States)}}{{Election box end}}

Personal life

Mucarsel-Powell is of Ecuadorian and Lebanese ancestry and is a Roman Catholic.WEB,weblink 20 April 2023, PEW Research Center, Religious affiliation of members of 117th Congress, January 24, 2021, NEWS,weblink Latino, minority voters helped drive Democrats' gains in U.S. House, experts say, Gamboa, Suzanne, November 7, 2018, NBC News, August 2, 2019, When she was 24 years old, her father was killed outside of his home in Ecuador by a gunman.NEWS,weblink Dem candidate recounts her history with gun violence in new ad to air during gun control march, Mucha, Sarah, March 22, 2018, CNN, October 25, 2018, WEB,weblink She's an immigrant who lost her father to gun violence. Now she's in Congress, CNN, February 4, 2019, She and her husband, Robert Powell, have three children.WEB, Meet Debbie,weblink 2021-01-06, Debbie Mucarsel Powell, en-US,

See also

• List of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans in the United States Congress
• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
• Women in the United States House of Representatives

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{commons category}}

• {{Official websiteweblink|Campaign site}}

{{CongLinks|fec=H8FL26039|votesmart=173449|congbio=M001207|congress=debbie-mucarsel-powell/M001207}}

• {{C-SPAN|116719}}

''|years=}}{{U.S. Florida Representatives}}{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 116th United States Congresses |state=Florida}}{{USCongRep/FL/116}}{{USCongRep-end}}{{Authority control}}