Annette Taddeo running for Congress

Former running mate of Charlie Crist seeks to unseat Carlos Curbelo

MIAMI – Former Gov. Charlie Crist's running mate is entering the political arena again.

Annette Taddeo announced Monday that she is running for Congress.

"From Key West to Homestead, from Kendall to Marathon, people have told me they want a representative who will advocate for the values and unique needs of our diverse South Florida community," Taddeo, who is a Democrat, said in a statement. "I'm running to make sure that everyone in South Florida gets a fair shot to succeed."

Taddeo, who will turn 48 on Tuesday, grew up in Colombia and moved to Miami when she was 18. She learned English and graduated from the University of North Alabama in 1992 before starting LanguageSpeak, which provides translation services, in Miami.

"I want to use my experience in small business and our community to get things done for South Florida and be a voice for all of us in Congress," Taddeo said.

Taddeo previously ran for Congress during a failed bid in 2008. She was chosen by Crist to be his candidate for lieutenant governor during his campaign last year, but he lost to Gov. Rick Scott.

She is running for a seat in Florida's 26th Congressional District, which is currently held by Republican Carlos Curbelo.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10