Upon graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Army, and served for 14 years, he continued his military career as a sergeant Financial Analyst in the Florida National Guard.

He ended up attending Warner University in Lake Wales, where he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in management, and was the first person in his family to graduate from college.

[1] In 2007, when incumbent State Representative John Quiñones, a Republican, resigned from the legislature to run for the Osceola County Commission, Rangel ran in the special election to succeed him in the 49th District.

When the legislature districts were redrawn in 2012, Rangel opted to run in the newly created 43rd District, and won the nomination of the Democratic Party entirely uncontested, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Republican nominee Art Otero, the Vice-Mayor of Kissimmee.

While serving in the legislature Rep. Rangel was recognized as the most influential freshman legislator, as he led the charge to remove the in coming minority leader for corruption and misleading his peers.