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Mario Diaz-Balart

Mario Díaz-Balart
Mario Diaz-Ballart Official.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 25th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded by David Rivera
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by Constituency established
Succeeded by David Rivera
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 21st district
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by Lincoln Díaz-Balart
Succeeded by Ted Deutch
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 112th district
In office
2000–2002
Preceded by Alex Villalobos
Succeeded by David Rivera
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 37th district
In office
1992–2000
Preceded by Gwen Margolis
Succeeded by Alex Villalobos
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 115th district
In office
1988–1992
Preceded by Javier Souto
Succeeded by Carlos Manrique
Personal details
Born Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart Caballero
(1961-09-25) September 25, 1961 (age 55)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Tia Díaz-Balart
Alma mater University of South Florida, Tampa (BA)
Website Official website

Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart Caballero /ˈdæz bəˈlɑːrt/ (born September 25, 1961) is a Republican U.S. Representative from Florida. He has represented a district in the Miami area since 2003, currently numbered as the 25th district. His current district includes much of southwestern Miami-Dade County, including the city of Hialeah, as well as much of the northern portion of the Everglades.

Díaz-Balart was born in 1961 in Fort Lauderdale, to Cuban parents, the late Cuban politician Rafael Díaz-Balart, and his wife, Hilda Caballero Brunet. His aunt, Mirta Díaz-Balart, was the first wife of Fidel Castro. Her son, and his cousin, is Fidel Ángel "Fidelito" Castro Díaz-Balart. His uncle is the Cuban-Spanish painter, Waldo Díaz-Balart. His brother, Lincoln Díaz-Balart, represented Florida's 21st District from 1993 to 2011. He has two other brothers, José Díaz-Balart, a journalist, and Rafael Díaz-Balart, a banker.

He attended the University of South Florida to study political science before beginning his public service career as an aide to then-Miami Mayor Xavier Suárez in 1985. In the same year, he changed his political party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.


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