Ola Hawatmeh says she already knows how the business of Congress gets done.

She worked as a senior policy advisor for U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz during a tumultuous period when the Indiana Republican ultimately cast one of the deciding votes to make Kevin McCarthy the House Speaker and to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill.

“The things that I have worked on in Washington, D.C, and as effective as I’ve been, I plan on being just as effective for this district,” Hawatmeh told Florida Politics.

The entrepreneur and philanthropist delivers every statement with emotion and emphasis, drilling in the reasons why she feels ready to represent Florida’s 19th Congressional District in Congress.

She is one of 11 Republicans to qualify in the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, and one of a handful to make a debate at this weekend’s Sunshine State Showdown, a Republican Party of Florida event in Hollywood.

There, she plans to make the case that her philanthropy and advocacy experience make her the best choice to send to Congress in the Fall.

Hawatmeh is no stranger to the trail, having worked on successful campaigns for figures like state Rep. Meg Weinberger, a Palm Beach Gardens Republican closely aligned with President Donald Trump. Indeed, Hawatmeh says on multiple occasions, Trump himself encouraged her to run for a seat in Congress.

“It was crazy, because I saw him at the golf course, and he said, ‘Let me know when you are ready to run,’” she recalled.

After Donalds made clear he would run for Governor and leave his seat in CD 19 open, she decided now was the right time to run.

To date, Trump hasn’t made an endorsement in the race. But Hawatmeh believes it’s not just the work during her campaign, but her past philanthropic efforts that set her apart. She worked to open a new YMCA in the region, and said she understands the need to pursue federal grant funding to meet community needs.

“I’ve done more locally in the year that I’ve been in the district than they have locally their whole lives,” she said,

She scoffed at opponent Jim Schwartzel’s comments at a recent forum that he would not seek government handouts and grants. “He said he will fund everything himself,” Hawatmeh scoffed.

Hawatmeh said candidates who think the region’s needs can be met by individual benefactors lack an understanding of the community. From her time on the Hill, Hawatmeh said she knows the easiest grants to secure are for food and education.

But she also said federal money should be spent wisely. She feels after the region was impacted by Hurricane Ian, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was too loose in giving small dollar amounts to many impacted by the storm who didn’t necessarily need assistance, and that came at the expense of those who needed more than the government provided.

Hawatmeh lived in the Venice-North Port area, north of the district, at the time of the 2022 hurricane, but said she saw much of the damage firsthand.

“I was in parking lots helping out, and I was out here working in the backyards of certain families,” she said. “It was just like total destruction.”

She said her philanthropic work shows a stronger commitment than some of the candidates self-funding their campaigns to the tune of seven figures.

“I’m the only candidate, first of all, that’s a philanthropist, the only candidate that’s self-made, that started my businesses from nothing,” she said. “But I’m the only candidate with a 90-day plan. I’m the only candidate that has solutions to the issues, and they’re already in motion.”

Hawatmeh said she learned a work ethic from her parents, Christians from Jordan. Hawatmeh said her father left behind successful family businesses in the Middle East to ensure his family enjoyed freedom in the U.S.

“He still works every day of his life. He is the hardest working man. He works with such integrity, and he’s so prideful,” Hawatmeh said. “My family’s so conservative, and they love America. They’re so thankful. And he started everything from nothing in America, where he had freedom to create and do whatever. Now he owns plazas.”

As she runs, Hawatmeh said it’s important to send someone with a hunger to make a difference.

“The district needs a leader that’s going to come in and make a change, make a difference,” she said.

The post With background in legislating and philanthropy, Ola Hawatmeh says she best serves CD 19’s needs appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..