Hoping to take his public service to the next level, Shevrin Jones made it official on June 9 by announcing his candidacy for Congress.

“The future is ours to build,” Jones says in a campaign kickoff video that highlights his deep roots in the district and track record of fighting for working families in the Florida legislature. 

A teacher by profession, Jones was born and raised in Miami Gardens and graduated from Florida A&M University. He served in the Florida Senate and House of Representatives, becoming the state’s first out Black senator with his election in 2020.

During his tenure in Tallahassee – where Democrats are woefully outnumbered –  Jones was a vocal leader of the opposition, something he details in his campaign video.

“I stood up to Trump when he tried to line his pockets with our money,” Jones said. 

Costs are too high in the district with too many hard-working people falling behind, Jones told a packed audience at his father’s church in Pembroke Park. Healthcare, education, infrastructure and safety were prominent themes of the campaign rollout with Jones stressing his resolve to fight. 

“South Florida deserves a fighter with both heart and backbone. A voice that cannot be bought. A voice that cannot be bullied. I will not backdown!,” Jones said during his fiery announcement speech. 

Jones, 42, is running in Congressional District 24, which covers parts of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, including Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, North Miami, Opa-Locka and Wynwood. The district is currently represented by Frederica Wilson, 83, who is retiring after serving in Washington, D.C. since 2011. 

Jones joins a crowded field of candidates in the Democratic primary, set for Aug. 18. If elected, he would become Florida’s first “openly” gay congressman – although there are a handful of other candidates statewide who could lay claim to the distinction with wins in November.