Florida Senate District 36: 2026 Candidates & Ballot

Ileana Garcia (Republican), George Lavin (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida Senate District 36; Ileana Garcia is the sitting member, per the Florida Senate' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

Ileana Garcia

Republican · Incumbent

Biography

Ileana Garcia worked as a Hispanic American radio and TV personality in South Florida for more than 20 years, according to the Florida Senate's official biography page, which also notes her service as Deputy Press Secretary in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Public Affairs. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.

George Lavin

Democratic

Biography

George Lavin is a Democratic candidate for Florida Senate District 36, which covers a center-east portion of Miami-Dade County including West Miami, part of Sweetwater and the lower half of Miami Beach. He is a legal discovery consultant from West Miami and the son and grandson of immigrants, according to his campaign site. He faces incumbent Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia in the general election, per Florida Politics.

Top Priorities

Lowering costs, including property insurance and utility bills
Defending local self-government and community decision-making
Transparent, results-oriented public education funding

Per the campaign site.

Per the candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-12.

Campaign site

Questions about this race

Who is running for Florida Senate District 36 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Florida Senate District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Ileana Garcia and George Lavin. Candidate information follows official Miami Dade County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Florida Senate District 36 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Miami Dade County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.