Florida AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) announced its unanimous endorsement of Jose Javier Rodriguez for Florida attorney general through a press release this week.
“The process behind this endorsement represented input from all facets of our movement and Florida’s labor force, and it comes with the determination and dedication of hundreds of thousands of our members to ensure that Jose Javier Rodriguez is elected to serve as Florida’s next Attorney General," Florida AFL-CIO President Kimberly Holdridge said.
Florida AFL-CIO is the state's largest labor federation with over 500 local labor unions, 10 labor councils, and more than one million union members.
Notably, it's the first endorsement for COPE this campaign season.
“JJR has one of the strongest and most proven records of service for Florida’s working families," FL AFL-CIO Director of Politics and Public Policy Dr. Rich Templin added. "He was a staunch ally and champion in the Florida House and Senate and as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training of the United States and as an accomplished lawyer in his professional career defending thousands of workers in the courts. Florida’s workers and consumers couldn’t ask for a more qualified or principled Attorney General.”
The Florida AFL-CIO's endorsement follows support from former Palm Beach County State Attorney and former State Sen. Dave Aronberg, along with ex-state Rep. Sean Shaw, back in February. Former Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber and former Florida U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D) also are supporting Javier Rodriguez in the race.
Rodriguez served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016. He was also elected to the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2020.
In addition, Rodriguez served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment in the Biden administration from 2024-2025.
Rodriguez is competing against Jim Lewis in the Democratic primary. Steven Leskovich and incumbent Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier are on the Republican ticket.
The primary is Aug. 18, 2026, with the general election on Nov. 3.
