Jennifer Jenkins brings on campaign team as Florida Democrats rally around potential Senate bid

Democratic leaders are rallying around former Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins as she prepares to run for U.S. Senate.

Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, state Sen. Tina Scott Polsky and Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chair Laura Kelley are among the chorus of Florida Democrats urging Jenkins to formally enter the race.

Meanwhile, Jenkins has assembled a campaign team that includes Mercury Public Affairs partner Eric Johnson, national pollster Mike Bocian, Liftoff Campaigns team members Joshua Karp, Zack Carroll and Ariel Grover, and A|L Media staffers Mark Bergman, Rosy Gonzalez Speers and Josh Wolf.

The building of a professional team shows the caliber of campaign that Jenkins wants to build as she weighs an attempt to challenge appointed U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody. The endorsements show a strong level of support, including veterans of the campaign trail.

“Jennifer knows what it means to fight for our future — because she’s doing it every day as a daughter, a mother, and a school board member,” Mucarsel-Powell said.

“She’s stood up for our children, defended our schools, and put Florida families first. We share the same values — service, courage, and an unshakable commitment to our communities. If she decides to run for U.S. Senate, she’ll have the grit to lead and the support to win.”

Jenkins also considered a run for Senate last election cycle, when Mucarsel-Powell became the Democratic nominee against U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.

Polsky, a Boca Raton Democrat, also joined in the praise.

“Jennifer Jenkins is the kind of candidate who inspires people to get off the sidelines,” Polsky said. “As a public school educator and mom who won a school board seat in one of Florida’s most conservative areas, she’s shown real courage in standing up for what’s right. She understands the struggles working families face and will be a powerful advocate for them in the U.S. Senate.”

Kelley said enthusiasm for Jenkins is starting to grow within party ranks.

“There’s a real buzz building,” Kelley said. “People are ready for a woman who fights for our values, sets an example, and actually delivers results.”

The team Jenkins put together boasts plenty of experience in statewide and federal races. Johnson has worked on presidential and Senate campaigns for more than 20 years, and was on the campaign for former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, the Democrat who unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West in 2012. Bocian, a founding partner at GBOA Strategies, worked for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist’s 2022 campaign.

Karp worked on statewide campaigns for Mucarsel-Powell and 2022 U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Val Demings, as well as for prior gubernatorial runs for Crist and 2018 Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum. Carroll managed Demings’ Senate campaign, which raised more than $80 million, while Grover has led digital fundraising efforts for the Congressional Black Caucus and End Citizens United.

The A|L Media team, meanwhile, touts successful work for 13 U.S. Senators, 67 U.S. Representatives and 42 total statewide campaigns. Florida work includes helping the Demings Senate campaign and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s successful win in 2023.