Hi! My name is David Arreola and I'm running for the Florida House of Representatives.
My Story
I was born and raised as a first-generation American in Florida House of Representatives District 22. My parents immigrated from Mexico to Buffalo, New York, and later to Gainesville. They taught me the importance of working hard for a good education and faithfully participating in our democracy. I'm a product of Alachua County Public Schools, attended Santa Fe College and earned my associate's degree. That strong educational foundation helped propel me to earn my bachelor's from Flagler College in 2014 and my MBA from St. Leo University in 2015.
Not long after graduating college, I came home and felt a calling to run for office. In 2017, I became the youngest city commissioner elected in the history of Gainesville. During my two terms on the commission, I was selected by my fellow commissioners twice as Mayor Pro Tempore to lead as we advocated for gun safety policies; affordable living for working families, and navigated the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outside of holding public office, I have been working for small businesses my whole life. I currently work for a homegrown company, 21st Century Communications, which provides rural internet service through the Affordable Connectivity Program. In my free time, I proudly led the founding of the Alachua County Young Democrats and Hispanic Caucus. I volunteered with Alachua County Emerging Leaders, for the Gainesville Sun Reader's Advisory Board, and served as a Board Member of Family Promise, a nonprofit committed to ending childhood homelessness in our community. In addition to those roles, I have proudly served as part of numerous local boards and committees:
-
Chair of the Alachua County Education Compact Vocational-Technical Training Committee,
-
Chair of the Rental Housing Subcommittee
-
Chair of the Alachua County Water & Climate Policy Board
-
Chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization
-
Member of the Zero Waste Subcommittee
-
Member of the Digital Connectivity Subcommittee
-
Member of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council.
For some, running for public office is a privilege afforded only to those who can pay for it. For me, it's a duty and a calling that I do not take lightly. It requires sacrifice and a willingness to stand and fight for what is right amid so much hate, division, and political distraction. I am running for State House District 22 to once again make history, to win this seat for those who are tired of Tallahassee ignoring the needs of those at home suffering from the affordability crisis, the gun violence epidemic, and attacks on women's right to choose without government interference.