Miami Gardens’ Shevrin Jones to lead Florida Senate Democrats in 2028

The Florida Senate Democrats on Tuesday unanimously elected Miami Gardens’ Shevrin Jones as their leader beginning in 2028.

Jones told the Herald/Times that he wants to focus on building the Democratic bench in Florida, which has suffered from a lack of organization and funding for more than a decade.

“Democrats have been in survival mode for years,” Jones said over a text message. “When you are focused on ensuring that voters are not wrongly removed [from the voter roll], educating people on re registering, and responding to constant rule changes, it shifts attention away from long term infrastructure building.”

He added: “That context matters.”

As examples, Jones pointed to how Republicans, at Gov. Ron DeSantis’s direction, plan to redraw congressional districts ahead of the midterm elections — a highly unusual mid-decade move that has been pushed by the president. He pointed to laws Republicans have passed that restrict grassroots ballot initiatives and make it harder for inconsistent voters to remain active.

“The leaders before us were navigating real structural challenges,” Jones said. “Now the question is how we protect access and build a deeper bench at the same time.”

The challenge is severe. Since 2017, Senate Democrats have raised $48.8 million through their Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign committee, which Jones will oversee, and just $1.7 million last year, according to state campaign finance records. By contrast, Senate Republicans have raised $181.2 million since 2017 through their Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign committee, including $22.5 million last year alone.

Republicans have held a supermajority in Florida in both chambers after DeSantis delivered historic wins in 2022 that prompted his failed presidential bid in 2024.

Jones said there was no denying their financial challenges, but he said Democrats could make up ground by focusing on “discipline, infrastructure, and sustained growth.”

“Bench building absolutely requires financial investment, but even more than that, it requires people investment,” Jones said. “This is about identifying leaders in their communities year round, building relationships, mentoring them, helping them grow their visibility and confidence, and making sure they feel supported long before there’s ever a race to run.”

Jones was the Miami Dade Democratic Party chairman in 2024. He will succeed incoming Senate Minority Leader Tracie Davis. Jones said they will be working hand in hand.

This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 11:20 AM.