We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Vazquez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The Story Behind My Campaign
By Stephanie Vazquez, Candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 2

I’m running for Pasco County Commissioner because I know what it means to struggle, to sacrifice, and to keep going, not for power or status, but for your family and your future. My life has never been about privilege or shortcuts. I grew up in poverty, relying on food stamps and powdered milk, wearing shoes that were falling apart. I didn’t have a college fund. I had grit.

I worked hard, graduated high school early, and went to community college on a scholarship. Then I joined the U.S. Air Force to pay for the rest of my education. I thought I had made it: a college degree, a job, a family. But life had other plans.

I became a single mother of three young children, all under the age of five. Despite working full-time, I couldn’t make ends meet. I remember driving home from work on payday each week and crying, not out of joy, but out of exhaustion, knowing I’d have to choose between daycare, rent, or groceries. That pain, that impossible math, is something far too many families in Pasco still face today.

I’ve lived the struggle. I’ve also fought my way out of it. I rebuilt my life, used my GI Bill to go to grad school, and eventually worked in nonprofit leadership, including as an advocate for victims of human trafficking. Every step of my journey has taught me how deeply people need leaders who listen, who understand, and who won’t sell out their communities for campaign checks or political favors.

This campaign is personal. It’s rooted in the belief that local government should serve the people, not big developers, not special interests, and not political parties. I’m proud to be a Democrat, but I also believe that safe schools, responsible growth, smooth commutes, and clean neighborhoods aren’t partisan issues. They’re community issues.

Pasco County is growing rapidly, but without the infrastructure, schools, and emergency planning to keep up. That’s not progress. That’s chaos. And it’s why I’m committed to:

Slowing reckless development until our roads, utilities, and schools can catch up

Prioritizing emergency preparedness to protect our communities from flooding and storms

Fighting for term limits to break the cycle of career politicians beholden to donors, not residents

Pushing for smart transportation and infrastructure improvements that make daily life better for all of us

I’m not taking big developer money. I’m building a grassroots campaign fueled by neighbors, veterans, teachers, working parents, and seniors… people who know what it means to do everything they can just to hold it all together.

I call it A Pasco for the People – because that’s what we deserve. Not more ribbon cuttings for luxury developments while our classrooms burst at the seams. Not more gridlock, both on the roads and in the county commission chambers. We deserve leadership that works for us.

This isn’t about me; it’s about we. The people of Pasco deserve to be seen, heard, and fought for. That’s exactly what I intend to do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Stephanie Vazquez, and I’m a U.S. Air Force veteran, public advocate, and mom, running for Pasco County Commission because I believe leadership should be grounded in service, not special interests. Pasco County is in Florida, just north of Tampa. My path here hasn’t been traditional. I didn’t grow up imagining a career in politics. I grew up focused on survival, on doing the next right thing, and on making a better life for my family.

Professionally, I’ve worn many hats over the years. I’ve worked in higher education and nonprofit leadership, led efforts to support underserved communities, and spent years advocating for survivors of human trafficking, often helping connect people with the systems, services, and protections that too often leave them behind. What connects it all is this: I care deeply about solving real problems for real people. Whether that’s helping a single mother access housing, standing up for veterans navigating broken systems, or demanding public accountability, my work has always centered on people, not politics.

In terms of my campaign, I bring something that sets me apart: I’ve lived the consequences of failed leadership, and I understand the day-to-day realities of working families in Pasco County. I’m not running to manage the status quo. I’m here to challenge it with bold, people-first solutions around infrastructure, education, emergency preparedness, and government transparency.

What I offer is a new kind of leadership, rooted in real experience, guided by integrity, and laser-focused on action. I don’t come from money or influence, but I’ve built a career out of showing up, listening, and doing the hard work. That’s what I’m doing now as a candidate, and that’s what I’ll keep doing as a commissioner.

What I’m most proud of is that everything I’ve done is driven by purpose. I’m proud to be part of a growing movement in Pasco County to take back our future from those who’ve ignored working families for too long.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to know about me, it’s that I’m not running to be someone. I’m running to do something. And that “something” is building a Pasco County where everyone, regardless of background, income, or zip code, has a fair shot at a good life.

This campaign isn’t a brand. It’s a mission. It’s for the moms packing lunches before work, the veterans trying to be seen by the VA, the families sitting in traffic every morning wondering when it got this bad. It’s for all of us who want to believe that local government can still work for us.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

There was a point in my life when I was doing everything I could to build a better future, and it still wasn’t enough. I was a single mom raising three little kids, working full-time, and chasing stability with everything I had. Even with a steady paycheck, I couldn’t keep up. Essentials like diapers and gas went on credit cards. Bills fell behind. Late fees, high interest rates, and mounting debt kept me in a cycle I couldn’t break.

Eventually, I had to move me and my kids in with a family member for a few months just to catch my breath. I felt like I had failed, even though I was working nonstop. I didn’t stop pushing forward, though. I went back to school, earned my master’s degree, and landed a job that finally paid enough to get us on solid ground. But by then, the financial hole was so deep that I couldn’t climb out on my own. I made the decision to file for bankruptcy.

It wasn’t something I rushed into. It wasn’t a shortcut. It was a reset; a way to stop drowning and start rebuilding. And I don’t carry shame about that chapter, especially because there are so many people who have had to make similar decisions. I carry strength from it. That experience showed me how easy it is to fall behind in a system that punishes you for struggling, and how hard it is to get back up without support.

This is what fuels my campaign. I know firsthand what it means to be one crisis away from collapse. I also know how powerful it is to have a second chance. That’s why I’m committed to building a Pasco County where no one has to go through it alone. Where veterans, working parents, and seniors have access to real resources. Where government works for the people who need it most – not just those at the top.

My challenges are behind me, and I’ve come out stronger. I bring that grit, that determination, and that perspective to everything I do. And I’ll fight to make sure every Pasco resident has the opportunity to build a better life… because I’ve lived the struggle, and I believe in the comeback.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As a child, I was raised to be seen and not heard. My opinions weren’t asked for, and when I did speak up, it was often met with silence or dismissal. That belief followed me into adulthood, and into the military, where I got even better at keeping my head down, following orders, and not questioning authority. I thought that was strength: staying quiet, staying in line, not rocking the boat.

But over time, I realized that staying quiet doesn’t keep the peace; it keeps broken systems in place. I had to unlearn the idea that silence was the respectful choice or the safer path. The truth is, if you’re in the room and you see something wrong, it’s your responsibility to say something, even if your voice shakes, and even if it makes people uncomfortable. And just because an issue hasn’t landed on your doorstep doesn’t mean it isn’t your fight. Injustice anywhere affects us all, especially in a community like ours where so many are struggling to be seen, heard, and valued.

That mindset is at the core of why I’m running for county commission. I’m not afraid to speak out, and I won’t wait for something to become my problem before I take action. Whether it’s overcrowded schools, crumbling infrastructure, or a neighbor being pushed out by unchecked development, I believe leadership means stepping in – not looking away.

My voice might challenge the status quo, but that’s exactly what Pasco, and politics in general needs right now. We need leaders who aren’t afraid to say, “This isn’t working,” and who have the courage to do something about it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stephanievazquez.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanieforpasco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephanieforpasco
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephanie.vazquez_pasco