Tampa Bay 28 invited more than 200 candidates running in the Aug. 18, 2026, primary election across our five-county area to submit the following: a candidate photo, a 100-word biography, and responses to three questions:
- Why are you running for office?
- In your own words, what differentiates you from your opponents?
- Explain what you see as the most important issue facing our community and how are you uniquely qualified to address that issue?
The following candidates responded to our questionnaire.
Jackie Toledo
Background(provided by candidate):
Jackie Toledo was born in Lima, Peru. Moving to Tampa as a child she graduated from Gaither High School and the University of South Florida. In 2011, she established a scholarship at USF to help Latino students. Toledo is a licensed professional engineer and small business owner. She served as a State Representative from 2016 to 2022, where she served as the deputy majority whip, co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, the state director of the National Foundation for Women Legislators, and on numerous legislative committees. Jackie is the mother of five children and resides in South Tampa.
Why are you running for office?
For too long, county leaders have talked about the same problems while residents continue to face gridlocked roads, affordability challenges, flooding and concerns about public safety. The commission needs leaders who will ask tough questions, demand accountability, and focus on delivering results rather than expanding bureaucracy.
In your own words, what differentiates you from your opponents?
As a mother of five, I know the challenges of balancing a budget and raising healthy and strong children. As a professional engineer, I understand how infrastructure, transportation, and long-term planning affect our quality of life. As a small business owner, I understand budgeting, accountability, and the challenges facing employers and working families. As a State Representative, I earned a reputation for effective leadership, bringing people together, and producing meaningful results for the Tampa Bay region.
I firmly believe public service is about listening to residents, solving problems, and making government work better.
Explain what you see as the most important issue facing our community and how are you uniquely qualified to address that issue?
Traffic congestion continues to worsen. Growth is outpacing infrastructure. Housing and insurance costs are squeezing working families. Flooding and storm preparedness remain critical concerns. Many residents believe county government has become too focused on process and politics instead of delivering results.
I am an engineer, mother, small business owner, and former State Representative who has spent my career delivering solutions, managing budgets, and bringing people together to get things done.
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