The Florida chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME Florida) announced a package of nine endorsements this week that concentrate heavily in Miami-Dade County while also including a statewide candidate. The marquee pick is former state senator and federal labor official José Javier Rodríguez, who is running in the Democratic field for attorney general in the 2026 midterms. Alongside Rodríguez, the union publicly backed recently elected Democratic Sen. Brian Nathan and seven Miami-Dade county commissioners and leaders.
The union’s move highlights a strategy that mixes a high-profile statewide contest with local races where labor influence can be most consequential. AFSCME’s list names County Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez and incumbents Marleine Bastien, Juan Carlos “J.C.” Bermudez, Danielle Cohen Higgins, Vicki Lopez, Natalie Milian Orbis and Micky Steinberg. Many of these endorsements are intended to shore up incumbents or recently appointed commissioners in contests that, though officially nonpartisan, are politically significant in Miami-Dade.
What the endorsements cover and why they matter
Endorsements from a public-sector union like AFSCME are meant to signal institutional support for candidates who align with labor priorities such as collective bargaining, public-sector investment and workers’ rights. By endorsing José Javier Rodríguez for attorney general, AFSCME Florida is putting its weight behind a candidate who combines local ties—he previously represented part of Miami-Dade in the state Senate—with federal experience as a former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Labor. The union also backs Sen. Brian Nathan, an electrician by trade who represents part of Hillsborough County, expanding AFSCME’s reach beyond Miami while keeping most endorsements local.
Local races: incumbents, appointees and competitors
The union’s seven Miami-Dade endorsements are split between established officeholders and those who won seats by appointment. Five of the endorsed commissioners—Anthony Rodriguez, Bastien, Bermudez, Cohen Higgins and Steinberg—are seeking re-election in the county’s technically nonpartisan contests. Two others, Vicki Lopez and Natalie Milian Orbis, were appointed last year and are now running to retain the seats they were given; both are aiming for what would be a final four-year term under the county’s term limits rules.
Opposition and uncontested contests
The endorsement list also intersects with a handful of active local campaigns. According to Miami-Dade election records, Marleine Bastien faces three challengers—Ernst Jean, Elizabeth Jeanty and Miguel “Skip” Quintero—while Danielle Cohen Higgins and Vicki Lopez each have one opponent, respectively Martha “Vega” Hero and Joe Sanchez. Notably, Anthony Rodriguez, Natalie Milian Orbis and Micky Steinberg are currently unopposed for the upcoming cycle, giving the union’s endorsements differing degrees of impact across districts.
Statewide attorney general race and election timeline
José Javier Rodríguez is running in the Democratic primary for Florida attorney general, a race that has drawn attention because the current officeholder was appointed by the governor. AFSCME’s endorsement positions Rodríguez against an incumbent appointee, James Uthmeier, who must first secure his party’s nomination. The primary fields include multiple contenders: Rodríguez and his Democratic rivals must contend with primary opponents such as Jim Lewis, while Uthmeier faces competition from candidates like Steven Leskovich in his own primary pathway. Winning each party’s nomination is a prerequisite to moving from the August primary into the November general contest.
Key qualification and election dates
Candidates aiming for Miami-Dade county commission seats must meet the qualifying deadline of June 9, while those running for state offices have until June 12 to file. The party primaries are scheduled for Aug. 18, and the winners will advance to the General Election on Nov. 3. These deadlines compress campaign calendars and make union endorsements more immediately relevant as voters and donors refine their preferences ahead of the filing cutoffs.
By concentrating its endorsements in Miami-Dade while supporting a contested statewide race, AFSCME Florida is attempting to blend local influence with a broader legal-political objective: elevating a candidate for attorney general whom the union believes will prioritize public-sector concerns and use the office to check policies that it views as harmful to workers and communities. Whether those endorsements translate into measurable electoral advantage will depend on turnout, fundraising, and how those primary matchups shape up in the coming weeks.
