A.J. D’Amico gets Donna Shalala’s endorsement in House race

Former U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala has endorsed Democratic lawyer A.J. D’Amico in his bid this year to represent Key Biscayne and parts of Miami and Coral Gables in the Florida House.

Citing his intelligence and passion and Medicaid expansion efforts, Shalala said she was proud to endorse: “A.J., a youthful Cuban American, represents the future of the Democratic Party in Miami-Dade and Florida.”

A former legislative aide to former Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros Lehtinen and former Republican state Sen. René García, D’Amico is running to replace term-limited Rep. Nick Duran.

Duran endorsed D’Amico last month.

– Jesse Scheckner, Florida Politics