Florida's largest healthcare workers' union endorsed state Sen. Shevrin Jones on Monday, August 3, in the crowded Democratic primary for Congressional District 24, which includes Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, and Golden Beach.
1199SEIU Florida, representing more than 25,000 hospital and nursing home employees statewide, backed Jones over six other Democrats competing in the Tuesday, August 18 primary to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson.
"South Florida is ground zero for the affordability crisis and so many other serious issues facing working families in our state, and we need a dedicated champion like Shevrin Jones standing up for us in the U.S. House of Representatives," Coy Jones, the union's political director, said in a statement reported by Florida Politics.
Jones, 42, is a Miami Gardens Democrat and former teacher who has served in the Florida Legislature for nearly 14 years. He is Florida's first openly LGBTQ state Senator and the first openly LGBTQ Black member of the Legislature. His caucus elected him Democratic Leader-elect earlier in 2026.
The race is tight. A National Victory Strategies poll reported by Florida Politics of 300 likely Democratic primary voters conducted July 24–28 showed Jones at 35% and Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert at 28%, with a 5.7-point margin of error. An earlier St. Pete Polls survey had Gilbert ahead 27% to 24%, also within its margin of error. Nearly a quarter of voters remained undecided in the more recent poll.
Gilbert carries the endorsement of Wilson herself. The other five candidates in the primary are cultural leader Marshall Davis, physician and veteran Rudy Moise, former Miami-Dade Commissioner Jean Monestime, civil rights lawyer Roderick Vereen, and lawyer Kendrick Meek.
The 1199SEIU nod adds to Jones's labor support from the Miami AFL-CIO and United Teachers of Dade, along with backing from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Equality Florida Action, and elected officials including Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy and Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo.
More than 68.7% of CD 24 voters backed Kamala Harris in 2024, making the district heavily Democratic. The general election is Tuesday, November 3.
Early voting and Election Day
Early voting runs Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 16 in Miami-Dade County. The City of Sunny Isles Beach said the closest early voting location for its residents is the Aventura Branch Library. Florida is a closed primary state, so only registered Democrats may vote in the Democratic primary. Election Day is Tuesday, August 18.
