Veteran South Florida political leader Sen. Shervin Jones is likely to become the next chair of the troubled Miami-Dade County Democratic Party’s executive committee.
Jones, who was elected to Senate District 34 in South Florida in 2020 and recently announced his candidacy for the local Democratic Party position, said he was encouraged by several supporters to seek the leadership role.
“We’ve seen what happens when we don’t invest in robust, focused outreach and take communities for granted. It’s clear this moment calls for a reset for our Miami-Dade County party, so that we can reelect Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and reelect President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to finish the job. That starts with a willingness to step up, show up and listen to voters’ concerns,” Jones said in a prepared statement.
Local award-winning filmmaker and political activist Billy Corban has also said he’s running for the job.
The Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee (DEC) chair position was vacated in March when state Democrats, led by Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, removed Chair Robert Dempster from office. Fried initially suspended Dempster. Franklin County DEC Chair Carol Barfield was also removed from office by Fried after lagging performance in Democratic voting in support of national candidates.
Dempster supporter Thomas Kennedy, a former Florida Democratic National Committee member, called the removal of Dempster “an embarrassing waste of time,” according to an NBC News report.
Jones is a former member of the House and is also a member of the Biden-Harris 2024 National Advisory Board. Jones said he wants the Democratic Party to reassert itself In Florida, which was a traditional stronghold for Democrats before being steamrolled by Republicans for much of the past decade and beyond.
Jones is listing prominent Miami-Dade Democrats as backing his candidacy, including Levine Cava; Congressperson Frederica S. Wilson; state lawmakers Jason Pizzo, Christopher Benjamin, Kevin Chambliss, Dotie Joseph and Felicia Robinson; and Dempster himself.
“I’m committed to learning from past mistakes and working with organizers across the county as we rebuild and register voters, bring disengaged people back into the fold, engage with candidates in every corner of Miami-Dade and increase Democratic turnout this fall,” Jones said.
The Miami-Dade DEC chair election will take place April 26.
Editor's Note: Updated to reflect Billy Corban as a candidate for the position as well.