Jackie Toledo, a Republican and former Florida state representative, is running for Hillsborough County Commission District 1 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Democrat Harry Cohen.

The Hillsborough County Commission governs unincorporated communities including Apollo Beach and Ruskin, making this District 1 race a direct concern for South Shore residents.

She is certified for the ballot.

Toledo served in the Florida House from 2016 to 2022 representing District 60, which then covered much of the same territory as the commission seat she now seeks, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.

Candidate information

  • Full name: Jackeline Toledo
  • Party: Republican
  • Office sought: Hillsborough County Commission, District 1
  • Residence: Tampa, FL
  • Education: High school diploma, Gaither High School; bachelor's in civil engineering, University of South Florida (2000)
  • Current occupation: Owner, Florida Engineering and Consulting

Experience and public service

Toledo represented District 60 in the Florida State House of Representatives from 2016 to 2022. During her time in the Legislature, she was known for work on human trafficking legislation and Pharmacy Benefit Manager oversight, according to Florida Politics.

She ran for U.S. House of Representatives in Florida's 15th Congressional District in 2022, according to Florida Politics.

Outside of elected office, Toledo has worked as a senior project engineer at CPH Engineers and as owner of Tampa Creative Camps, which she started in 2010, according to BallotReady election data. She owns Florida Engineering and Consulting.

On the issues

Toledo outlined her priorities in an interview with Florida Politics. The following positions are the candidate's own statements.

Transportation and infrastructure: Toledo said growth has outpaced infrastructure in Hillsborough County. She is emphasizing responsible growth, affordability, flood protection, public safety, economic opportunity and tighter government spending.

"Transportation continues to be a huge issue in Hillsborough County. We've been talking about it for years. We've done studies about what needs to be done, but for some reason things aren't getting done," Toledo said.

Tampa Bay Rays stadium financing: Toledo said she supports keeping the Rays in Hillsborough County but would not have used Community Investment Tax dollars for the stadium. She said those dollars could have been used for transportation improvements instead.

Government efficiency and permitting: Toledo said she wants to streamline county permitting and explore whether technology, including artificial intelligence, could make county operations more efficient.