Democrat Jennifer Jenkins has exited the race for Florida’s 6th Congressional District in order to run in the 8th, where she will challenge Republican Mike Haridopolos.
Jenkins is from Satellite Beach, which is part of the 8th. She cited Florida’s newly redrawn congressional maps as part of her reasoning. The new map shifts the 8th from all of Brevard and part of Indian River counties to all of Brevard and part of east Orange County.
“Once the Legislature passed these maps, I received several calls from around Brevard and Orange counties asking me to run here,” Jenkins said in a statement. “District 8 voters have pain at the pump, a struggle to afford adequate health care, and a representative who dodges town halls and real conversations with the people he’s supposed to serve.”
Who is Florida Democrat Jennifer Jenkins?
Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member.
She initially started the 2026 cycle by running for U.S. Senate, but switched to run for the congressional seat held by U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, who is also from Brevard and with whom Jenkins had a history of political and legal tangles.
The 6th District covers Flagler and Putnam counties, plus parts of Volusia, St. Johns, Lake and Marion counties.
Who does that leave in Florida’s 6th?
There are four other Democrats still running in the 6th: Eric Yonce of Ormond Beach, Rob Cooper II of Ocala, Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera of Sorrento, and Steve Morgan of Palm Coast.
Fine faces a Republican primary challenge from Palm Coast City Councilman Charles Gambaro, Aaron Baker of Sorrento and Dan Bilzerian, an influencer and businessman from Las Vegas.
Republicans react to Jenkins’ switch to Florida’s 8th
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power said Haridopolos — who was elected in 2024 — is a proven conservative who has consistently fought for Florida families.
“Jennifer ‘Jumpin’’ Jenkins keeps jumping — race to race, district to district — chasing whatever might stick,” Power said in a statement. “Floridians want a leader who fights for them and their community, not someone shopping for a seat.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida Democrat Jenkins switches election races, citing new map
Reporting by Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
