MEET JORGE MALAVET
I was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and raised by my grandparents until I was a teenager. From them I learned the values that guide my life today: faith, family, hard work, and service. My grandfather, an Army veteran and machinist, taught me that character matters, responsibility matters, and you don’t wait for opportunity; you prepare for it. I still remember wearing a guayabera to Mass on Sundays, waking up early to help him on weekends, and learning what it means to live with purpose.
As a teenager, I moved to live with my mother. Life was not easy. Poverty, instability, and constant moves between New Jersey and New York made opportunity hard to reach for my siblings and me. I started working at fourteen. By sixteen I had left home, and after completing ninth grade I enrolled in night classes at Bronx Community College to earn my GED. In 1986, I passed the exam. I also learned, early, the cost of bad choices, and the importance of turning your life around before it’s too late. That turning point came through faith and family.
I met my late wife, Ana, a devout Christian who showed me what a stable, disciplined life could look like. Not long after, I met her father and learned he had been quadriplegic for more than two decades. Through faith, responsibility, and determination, he raised three daughters. That example reshaped how I saw manhood, leadership, and service and set a higher standard for the kind of husband and father I wanted to be.
At eighteen, I joined the United States Navy as an enlisted Sailor. Over the course of my career, I served afloat and ashore through the post-Cold War years, the Gulf War era, and the Global War on Terror. Through hard work, continued education, and steady leadership, I advanced from enlisted to officer, retiring as a Navy officer. That journey is one of my proudest accomplishments because it reflects what I believe about America: when you put in the effort, take responsibility, and keep moving forward, doors can open.
Like many Americans, I faced personal and financial hardships along the way. But those seasons strengthened my resolve. I learned that resilience and perseverance aren’t slogans; they are a way of life. I came out of difficult moments with deeper gratitude, stronger discipline, and a clearer commitment to serving others.
After my military service, I continued serving our country in federal service. I’m running for Congress because Florida’s 9th District deserves a representative who understands our community and will fight for working families, not political insiders.
Opportunity through education and work
I believe education should be rigorous, merit-based, and accessible to every student willing to put in the effort. That means expanding pathways to success through affordable and flexible options, strengthening apprenticeships and workforce training aligned with family-supporting wages, and maintaining performance-driven school standards that empower teachers and help students reach their full potential. If we invest in character, discipline, and critical thinking, we expand economic mobility and keep our communities competitive. Access to opportunity should be earned through effort and merit, not by mandates or shortcuts.
Stronger families and safer communities
Family has always been my north star. I learned resilience from my grandparents, and I lived it alongside my late wife Ana, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2006, and gave me a model of steadfast faith and care. Those experiences deepened my commitment to honoring responsibilities and protecting the vulnerable. In Congress, I’ll champion policies that strengthen families, ensure affordable and dependable work, support schools that value character and excellence, and maintain a lawful immigration system that welcomes those who pursue the American dream while keeping our borders and communities secure.
In 2021, I married my wife, and our partnership reaffirmed my commitment to steady, family-first leadership that focuses on helping families and strengthening our community. We have four hardworking adult children and five grandchildren. Every chapter of my story reinforces what I believe is true for Florida and our country: faith and family build strong people, strong people build strong communities, and strong communities build a strong America.
I’m running to defend character, responsibility, and opportunity, and to ensure the American Dream remains real for every family willing to work for it, and to give Florida’s 9th Congressional District a representative who puts working families first.