Ryan Nicol
After winning the Democratic nod in Senate District 35, Shevrin Jones is pushing to ensure Joe Biden wins the presidency in November.
“It’s time to come together,” Jones said in a newly-released video to supporters. “It’s time for us to finish this race strong. Beyond our important state and local races, we have to put in the work to elect Joe Biden our next President.
Jones backed Biden’s campaign early, endorsing him in May 2019. That support paid off as Biden won Florida and secured the Democratic nomination. He formally accepted that nomination at last week’s Democratic National Convention.
Last week also saw Jones emerge from a six-person field to secure the Democratic nomination in SD 35. Jones began his new video by thanking his supporters.
“Thank you for having my back throughout this campaign,” Jones said. “Your support helped us win a hard-fought primary between six candidates, and I am so proud of the movement we’ve built and the history we are making together.”
Jones will be the first openly LGBTQ state Senator in Florida’s history should he win his General Election match-up against write-in candidate Darien Hill. That victory is highly likely, as the district leans overwhelmingly Democratic.
Nevertheless, Jones pointed supporters to his website to help volunteer to “get across the finish line.” He then turned to Biden’s bid, urging Democrats to turn out big in November.
“I don’t have to tell you that the road to the White House runs through Florida. It’s up to us to make sure we turn it out,” Jones said.
“There is too much on the line to sit down now. I know that Joe Biden is a man of character and decency, empathy and compassion. When he gets knocked down, he gets back up. He has been tested by a historic recession, pandemics, divisive politics and the never-ending quest for justice and fairness in America. He believes in America’s promise and in delivering on that promise for every last one of us.”
Biden largely rode Black support to the Democratic nomination. Jones is hoping to ensure Black voters follow that up in the General Election.
Studies show Black turnout dropped from 2012 to 2016. Black Americans who did vote overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton. Had she secured greater turnout, that could have made the difference in a tight election.
Biden is hoping to avoid a repeat in 2020. He selected Sen. Kamala Harris of California as his Vice President. She would be the first Black woman to serve in that role.
“Millions of Black girls around this country are finally witnessing — in real time — what is possible for their own dreams,” Jones said.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will lead us out of the crisis and chaos created by Donald Trump and help us build back better. But first, we have to put in the work to see this through. That starts with making a plan to vote, and then we need to get five friends to do the same.”
Jones then urged viewers to text vote to 30330. That’s the service the Biden team is using to remind voters about important voting deadlines, as well as inform them about the Biden campaign. Texting it returns a link with voting information including how to look up voter registration status, find precincts, register to vote or request a mail ballot, among others.
