Rodriguez seeks Florida attorney general seat in Nov. 3 race

José Javier Rodriguez, a Democrat and Miami attorney, is running for Florida attorney general in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Republican James Uthmeier.

Rodriguez, a partner at Sugarman, Susskind, & Braswell P.A., has said his Cuban roots are central to his motivation for public service. "We know what it looks like when the powerful prey on their own people," Rodriguez said, according to WUSF. He grew up in a Catholic household in Miami, according to his campaign website.

Candidate information

Party: Democratic
Race: Florida attorney general
Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
Opponent: James Uthmeier (Republican)
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Education: Bachelor's degree in international relations, Brown University (2000); J.D., Harvard University (2006)
Current occupation: Attorney and partner, Sugarman, Susskind, & Braswell P.A.

Experience and public service

Rodriguez served in the U.S. Peace Corps from 2000 to 2003, according to Wikipedia. He worked as an attorney at Florida Legal Services from 2006 to 2011 and as an adjunct clinical professor at the Carlos A. Costa Immigration & Human Rights Clinic at FIU College of Law from 2008 to 2010, according to BallotReady profile data.

He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016 and in the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2020, according to BallotReady. He has also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and St. Thomas University College of Law, according to his law firm biography.

Rodriguez served as assistant secretary of labor for employment and training at the U.S. Department of Labor from April 2024 to Jan. 20, 2025, according to Wikipedia.

On the issues

Rodriguez has outlined these priorities on his campaign website and social media.

Consumer protection: Rodriguez said he would investigate state monopoly electric utilities over excessive rate setting, hidden fees and deceptive billing practices. He said he would take on insurance companies and fight excessive rate increases on property insurance.

Housing costs: Rodriguez said he would stop algorithmic rent setting by corporate landlords that he said drives up housing costs.

Workers' rights: Rodriguez said he would enforce the state minimum wage, shut down wage theft and penalize unsafe workplaces.

Public safety: Rodriguez said he would crack down on fentanyl, dismantle criminal cartels, bust child exploitation networks and protect children and seniors from exploitation.

Anti-corruption and transparency: Rodriguez said he would seek the immediate, public release of all state-held Epstein records and investigate the Hope Florida scandal. He also said he would enforce environmental laws requiring polluters to pay cleanup costs.

Endorsements

Rodriguez has received endorsements from labor unions, former officeholders and newspaper editorial boards, according to Florida Politics and the Orlando Sentinel: