Matt Caldwell | |
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Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 79th district |
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Assumed office November 20, 2012 |
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Preceded by | Mike Horner |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 73rd district |
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In office November 16, 2010 – November 20, 2012 |
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Preceded by | Nick Thompson |
Succeeded by | Greg Steube |
Personal details | |
Born |
Gainesville, Florida |
August 12, 1981
Political party | Republican |
Residence | North Fort Myers, Florida |
Alma mater |
Edison College (A.A.) Florida Gulf Coast University (B.A.) |
Profession | Real estate appraiser |
Religion | Church of Christ |
Matthew H. "Matt" Caldwell (born August 12, 1981) is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 79th District, which includes northern Lee County, stretching from Lehigh Acres to Palmona Park, since 2012, previously representing the 73rd District from 2010 to 2012.
Caldwell was born in Gainesville and attended Florida Gulf Coast University, from which he received a degree in history in 2004, and he began working as a real estate appraiser. In 2008, when Democratic State Senator Dave Aronberg ran for re-election in the 27th District, which sprawled from West Palm Beach to Cape Coral and included parts of Charlotte County, Glades County, Lee County, and Palm Beach County, Caldwell ran against him. He won the Republican primary entirely uncontested and advanced to the general election. Aronberg was endorsed for re-election by the Sun-Sentinel, which praised him for his accomplishments in the legislature, and criticized Caldwell for his "inexperience as an elected official." In the end, Caldwell did not prove to be a major challenge to Aronberg's re-election, and lost, winning only 39% of the vote to Aronberg's 59% and Green Party candidate Aniana Robas's 2%.