Harry Cohen seeks third term on Hillsborough commission

Harry Cohen, the Democratic incumbent on the Hillsborough County Commission representing District 1, is seeking a third term in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Republican Jackie Toledo.

District 1 covers the county's coastal communities, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.

Cohen has held the seat since 2020, according to the county's website.

Candidate information

Party: Democratic
Office sought: Hillsborough County Commission, District 1
Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
Opponent: Jackie Toledo (Republican)
Hometown: Tampa native
Education: Berkshire School (college preparatory); Gettysburg College (1992); J.D., New York Law School
Professional: Member of the Florida Bar
Political committee: Hillsborough Together

Florida Politics ranked Cohen No. 24 on its 2026 list of Tampa Bay's Most Powerful Politicians. He ranked No. 23 the prior year.

Experience and public service

Before joining the county commission, Cohen served on the Tampa City Council representing District 4 from 2011 to 2019, according to BallotReady. He ran for mayor of Tampa in 2019, according to Florida Politics.

Cohen served as general counsel at the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court from 2019 to 2020, according to the county website. Before that, he worked as chief deputy clerk at the Hillsborough County Circuit Court from 2005 to 2011.

He serves as a commissioner at Port Tampa Bay and on the boards of the Florida Aquarium, Community Tampa Bay and the Florida Orchestra, according to the county website. He is a member of the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations.

On the issues

Tampa Bay Rays stadium funding: Cohen voted yes on a non-binding memorandum of understanding to invest nearly $1 billion in public money for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium, according to WUSF. Cohen said the vote was necessary to keep the process moving. "You do have to have some faith in our community in order to make a step forward on a vote like this," Cohen said, according to WUSF. "… I believe in Tampa, I believe in Hillsborough County, and I believe in the region."

County DOGE committee and indigent healthcare: Cohen said he opposes eliminating the county's indigent healthcare program, according to WUSF. He said he opposed the DOGE committee from the start and voted against forming it. "The county commission is the DOGE committee," Cohen said, according to WUSF. "That is our job is to scrutinize the budget, look for waste, look for fraud, look for abuse."