Since my election in 1989 to the United States Congress, I have proudly represented Floridas 18th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Forced to flee with my family from the oppressive communist regime of Fidel Castro, I became the first Hispanic woman and first Cuban-American elected to Congress.

Throughout my life, I have been dedicated to serving our community. After completing public education in Miami and graduating from Miami-Dade Community College, I followed my passion for education and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Education from Florida International University. I then founded and served as the principal and teacher of a private bilingual elementary school in Hialeah. My passion for education continued while completing a Masters in Educational Leadership at FIU, and earning a Doctorate of Higher Education from the University of Miami.

Understanding the issues facing South Florida, I was elected in 1982 to the Florida State House of Representatives, becoming the first Hispanic woman in that body. In 1986, I was elected to the Florida State Senate in 1986. While serving, I met and married fellow Florida legislator Dexter Lehtinen, who became the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. We have two children, Amanda Michelle and Patricia Marie, and two step-children, Katharine and Douglas.

When the 18th Congressional District seat was vacated by the passing of Claude Pepper in 1989, I won the seat, and have been strongly returned to Congress since