Nate Douglas is a 23-year-old Democratic candidate for the District 37 seat in the Florida House of Representatives, which spans Oviedo and Chuluota. He was previously elected to public office in 2020 as a Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. He is currently a substitute teacher for Orange County Public Schools.
According to his website, the three main planks of his campaign platform are housing and insurance; reproductive freedom and healthcare; and environmental conservation. He aims to implement “anti-trust legislation to increase market competition, create legislation that strengthens unions, strengthen consumers’ ability to hold their insurance provider accountable, promote the integration of green technology in public infrastructure projects, such as incorporating energy-efficient materials and smart systems,” and more.
He is endorsed by U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost, former House Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, State Sen. Shevrin “Shev” Jones, and 20 others.
According to Transparency USA, he has $197,211 in campaign contributions and has spent $110,782. Learn more.
OCN Q&A
OCN created a profile for each candidate and sent each candidate a list of questions that we created based on input from residents of Greater Oviedo and Winter Springs. Each candidate within a specific race got the same list of questions at the same time and had a 50-word limit per question. Answers were only edited for grammar and clarity.
Housing
Q: Some residents say they’re being driven out of parts of Florida by a shortage of affordable housing. According to the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies’ 2023 annual report, the statewide median single-family home price hit a new peak of $400,000 in the first half of 2023. Seminole County was in the third most expensive housing price range in the state with $400,000 to $499,000 as the median single-family home price. The graph below compares the statewide affordable/available housing supply to renter households for six income groups, divided by how much they earn relative to the area median income (AMI): 0-30%, 0-40%, 0-50%, 0-60%, 0-80%, and 0-120%. For example, if the area median income is $50,000, somebody earning $25,000 would be at 50% AMI. Somebody earning $60,000 would be at 120% AMI.
How, if at all, would you address that problem?
A: I would start by addressing the need for zoning reforms to increase housing supply and allowing counties to increase protection for renters from unfair rate hikes. We also need to make better use of our public lands to increase supply of affordable housing.
Q: Sharp increases in homeowners insurance in Florida over the past several years coupled with big storms causing flooding and other damage has left many property owners with some of the highest insurance premiums in the nation and some struggling to get coverage at all. What is your plan to help bring relief and security to property owners in the state?
A: I would allow homeowners to hold their insurance companies accountable for what they promised them and stop handing out billions of dollars worth of bailouts for large insurance companies. We also need to make the market competitive.
Education
Q: The Economic Policy Institute recently said a larger federal role in education funding would help prevent funding issues during economic downturns, such as the cuts Florida experienced during and after the Great Recession. What will you do to improve or stabilize education funding for the state?
A: I would never sponsor a bill that diverts $4 billion in taxpayer funds from public schools to private voucher programs. I would also look into solutions like raising taxes for luxury homes owned by non-residents, without raising a dime for working families.
Q: Recently Florida has been in the national spotlight for well-publicized changes to its college system, including efforts to ban certain types of history education in public universities. Recently the Wall Street Journal released its Best Colleges and Universities ranking which showed Florida schools fell significantly in the rankings compared to last year. What are your thoughts on recent changes to our college system, and the necessity of teaching a complete history to Florida’s students?
A: Our school ranking falls when Governors like Ron DeSantis bring political culture wars into the classroom. We need to get back to allowing teachers to do their jobs, stop racing to ban books, and start putting students first.
Environmental/climate
Q: In light of environmental issues that have come into the spotlight with the flood damage from Hurricane Ian, plus regular record-setting heat, what will you do to help prepare and safeguard our area from climate concerns? Do you believe that development of wetlands counters sustainability efforts? If so, what will you do to change that?
A: To protect Florida from worsening floods and extreme heat, we must invest in resilient infrastructure and clean energy, which will create jobs and boost our economy. Preserving wetlands is key to flood prevention, and I’ll push for smart development.
Q: Oviedo Community News recently published a collaborative project about the role of multiple levels of government and private landowners in protecting the Florida Wildlife Corridor. How do you respond to residents who are upset by the bulldozing of green spaces for residential and commercial development, especially in light of recent efforts to develop state parks with golf courses and hotels?
A: I would never allow this plan to go through, it’s disastrous and shameful. In order to make sure this doesn’t happen again, I’ll introduce legislation to increase transparency with government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Department.
Infrastructure
Q: Hurricane Ian in 2022 exposed numerous infrastructure issues in Florida, as aging stormwater systems, bridges and roads showed their vulnerability to heavy storms. Though the American Rescue Plan Act helped to some extent, more funding is necessary to help cities and counties rebuild their infrastructure. What will you do to make sure your district gets what it needs?
A: I’ll fight for increased state and federal funding to upgrade stormwater systems, bridges, roads, and expand public transit to reduce traffic and emissions.
Reproductive rights
Q: Florida voters will weigh in on Amendment 4, which will “limit government interference with abortion”. Do you plan to support the outcome of that vote no matter what it may be?
A: I support the right of women to have control over their own bodies. Abortion is a decision between a woman, her family, and her doctor… not state lawmakers.
Local business
Q: Many small businesses are struggling in the face of challenges such as inflation. What will you do to increase support for local businesses in your district?
A: I’ll push for tax cuts and grants for small businesses, ensuring they have the resources to thrive and hire locally, even in tough economic times. I will always prioritize working families and local entrepreneurs over corporate interests.