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Michelle Salzman

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Michelle Salzman
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 3, 2020
Preceded byMike Hill
Personal details
Born (1977-07-05) July 5, 1977 (age 47)
Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpousePhillip Salzman
Children3
Alma materPensacola State College (AAS)
University of West Florida (BSBA)
OccupationSmall business owner
WebsiteCampaign website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army

Michelle Salzman (née Hisle,[1] born July 5, 1977)[2] is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives representing the state's 1st District, which includes the northern portion of Escambia County.[2] She was elected to the seat in November 2020, after she defeated Democratic candidate Franscine Mathis in the general election.[3][4] Prior to that she defeated incumbent Mike Hill in the Republican primary in August 2020.[5]

Early life and career

Salzman was raised in Pensacola, Florida. After graduating high school in 1995, she says she joined the Army when she was 17 to escape an abusive home.[6][1] Salzman states that her father was an abusive alcoholic and her mother became addicted to opioids when she was in middle school; Salzman has stated that both of her parents died at an early age from opioid addiction.[7] On February 16, 2022, Salzman stated, while debating in support of an anti-abortion bill, that as a child, her uncle regularly sexually abused her and her sister.[8] She served as part of the NATO forces in Bosnia where she says she was raped by her commanding officer while deployed.[9] She got married in the Army, but separated after they had two children. She returned to Pensacola where she became an exotic dancer. She obtained an Associate of Applied Science degree from Pensacola State College[10]

Salzman earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of West Florida.[2]

Volunteering and politics

Salzman worked as an education chair for Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson's transition team and is a former County PTA President and member of the Florida PTA Board of Directors.[10] Salzman served as a "Safe Schools Equality Index Advisory Member" through Equality Florida. The “Safe School Equality Index” is a comprehensive tool designed to assist Florida’s Department of Education, District Superintendents , School Board Members, PTA Leaders, District staff and partnering youth centered organizations to meet the rising needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-binary and questioning students in Florida's K-12 schools.[11]

Florida House of Representatives

Salzman was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2020 after defeating incumbent Republican Mike Hill in the primary. She was subsequently re-elected in 2022, defeating Hill in a primary rematch.[12][13]

Controversies

In April 2021, Salzman was quoted as saying that the issue holding her back from prioritizing the cleanup of a toxic landfill in her district was that the surrounding residents were Democrats.[14] “They’re Democrats. They vote Democrat,” she said. “I put signs out in Wedgewood, and every time I put them out, the next day, they’d be gone. You know, my dad lives right there … we went through more signs in Wedgewood than anywhere, but there’s just very few people that vote Republican over there.” She continued, “So it’s nothing about the environment, nothing about landfills, nothing like that. So not only is it not the people that don’t vote for me, but it’s also nothing in the priority list of what folks in District 1 said they wanted me to do as a state representative.”

In March 2021, Salzman was accused by Representative Omari Hardy of calling Representative Webster Barnaby the chamber's "token Black Republican."[15] Salzman vehemently denied making the remark.[15]

In February 2022, Salzman was recorded explaining why she would not support a Constitutional Carry bill in the Florida Legislature. She was accused of threatening the group that published the recording.[16]

Committees (2023-24)[17]

  • Appropriations Committee
    • Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee   Vice Chair
  • Health & Human Services Committee   Republican Committee Whip
    • Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee
  • Rules Committee

Awards and recognition

  • InWeekly named Salzman the "Politician of the Year" for the Greater Pensacola Area consecutively each year that she's held office (2021, 2022) during their Best of the Coast issues.[18][19]
  • Pensacola Power List recipient [20]
  • Volunteer of the Year Winner Awarded by InWeekly Magazine in both 2015, 2017, & 2018.[21][22][23]

Electoral history

2020

Florida House 1st district Republican primary election, 2020[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Michelle Salzman 11,081 52.48%
Republican Mike Hill (incumbent) 10,032 47.52%
Total votes 21,113 100%
Florida House 1st district general election, 2020[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Michelle Salzman 57,363 65.30%
Democratic Franscine C. Mathis 30,485 34.70%
Total votes 87,848 100%
Republican hold

Personal life

Salzman has two kids from her first husband.[10] She is married to Phil Salzman. She has three children in total. She and Phil live in Escambia County.[2]

Salzman is a Baptist.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Representative Michelle Salzman". Florida Veterans Foundation. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Michelle Salzman – District 1: Republican". Florida House of Representatives. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Newby, Jake (November 3, 2020). "Election 2020: Salzman wins Florida House District 1 seat, knocks off Mathis". Pensacola News Journal.
  4. ^ "Michelle Salzman wins race for Florida House Dist. 1 Representative". WEAR-TV. November 3, 2020.
  5. ^ Little, Jim (August 18, 2020). "Michelle Salzman upsets Mike Hill in Florida House District 1 race, secures Republican nomination". Pensacola News Journal.
  6. ^ "Michelle Salzman for Florida House D1 | About Michelle". Michelle Salzman for Florida House District 1.
  7. ^ "House Video Player: House Civil Justice and Property Rights Subcommittee - April 6, 2021". myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  8. ^ "2/16/22 House Session - The Florida Channel". thefloridachannel.org. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  9. ^ Johnson, Amanda (2022-01-28). "Florida Rep. Salzman makes case in support of House Bill 5 by sharing personal experience". WEAR. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  10. ^ a b c Little, Jim (2019-06-26). "Former Escambia County PTA president challenging Rep. Mike Hill in 2020 Republican primary". Pensacola News Journal.
  11. ^ "Equality Index | Equality Florida". eqfl.org. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  12. ^ "There's a rematch in the Florida House-1 GOP primary". WUWF. 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  13. ^ "Our Campaigns - FL State House 001 - R Primary Race - Aug 23, 2022". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  14. ^ admin (2021-04-21). "Never Free". Inweekly. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  15. ^ a b "Florida House Republicans vote to pass controversial 'anti-rioting' legislation". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  16. ^ "Rep. Salzman Under Fire for Opposing A Vote for Constitutional Carry". The Floridian. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  17. ^ "Michelle Salzman - 2022 - 2024 ( Speaker Renner )". www.myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  18. ^ Outzen, Rick (2021-10-06). "2021 Complete Winners List". InWeekly Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  19. ^ Outzen, Rick (2022-10-05). "2022 Complete Winners List". InWeekly Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  20. ^ Outzen, Rick (2018-03-28). "2018 Pensacola Power list". InWeekly Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  21. ^ Outzen, Rick (2015-10-07). "2015 Best of the Coast". InWeekly Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  22. ^ Outzen, Rick (2017-10-11). "2017 Best of the Coast". InWeekly Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  23. ^ Outzen, Rick (2017-10-03). "2018 Best of the Coast". InWeekly Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  24. ^ "Our Campaigns - FL State House 001 - R Primary Race - Aug 18, 2020". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  25. ^ "Our Campaigns - FL State House 001 Race - Nov 03, 2020". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  26. ^ https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4763
Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 1st district
2020–present 		Incumbent
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