Monthly Meeting

About Victor DiMaio

Career and Background

• President & CEO: Leads DiMaio & Associates, a firm specializing in media relations, governmental relations, and political consulting since June 2003.

• Leadership Roles: Serves as the president of the Hillsborough County Democratic Hispanic Caucus.

• Media Presence: Co-hosts the radio program "Down N Dirty" on WMNF 88.5 FM and frequently appears as a panelist on WEDU PBS's "Florida This Week".

• Education: Attended Jesuit High School of Tampa, Hillsborough Community College, and Florida State University (studying government and communications).

• Democratic Activism & Leadership

  • Hillsborough County Democratic Hispanic Caucus: He serves as the long-time president (and former treasurer) of this caucus, driving outreach and political involvement within the region's Hispanic community.

  • Party Affiliation: Born in Ybor City and raised in West Tampa, DiMaio comes from a prominent local family heavily involved in local politics and has identified as a lifelong Democrat.

  • Public Service: He has served on civic and public bodies in Tampa, including a tenure as a member of the Hillsborough County Industrial Development Authority.

  Campaign Consulting & Debate Strategy

  • Political Consulting: Through his firm, DiMaio & Associates, he works as a campaign strategist and media relations consultant for local and state-level Democratic campaigns.

  • Tampa Tiger Bay Club: As a former president of the Tampa Tiger Bay Club—a non-partisan political forum—he spent years organizing, moderating, and facilitating candidate debates in the Tampa area.

  • Endorsements & Policy: He actively influences local races, endorsing candidates like Luis Salazar for Florida House District 64, and regularly shares political polling data, governor race predictions, and insights on policy issues like local property tax bills on platforms like WEDU PBS.

  • Television Appearances

    • Florida This Week (WEDU PBS): DiMaio serves as a regular guest panelist on this long-running local political discussion program.

      • Debate Logistics: He has broken down why major political campaigns increasingly view candidate debates as a risk rather than a reward.

      • Regional Infrastructure: He frequently evaluates major regional developments, such as the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal and local city council storm water management plans.

      • Consumer & Policy Issues: He routinely debates state policy topics on air, ranging from Florida's property insurance regulations to utility bill spikes.

    Radio & Broadcasting

    • Down N Dirty (WMNF 88.5 FM): DiMaio is a frequent co-host and recurring guest host alongside John Dingfelder on this Friday morning talk show. The program acts as a community-conscious forum analyzing weekly local and national political events.

    • Local Issues Coverage: Through his radio segments, he regularly features guests like county property appraisers and community journalists to cover topics such as ICE enforcement policies, special municipal election forums, and local historical preservation.