Jennifer Jenkins confirmed she is running for Florida’s 8th Congressional District seat against Republican Mike Haridopolos.It comes as Florida’s House and Senate approved a new congressional map put forward by Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I was eagerly anticipating to see what was going to happen with the redistricting of the maps from DeSantis,” Jenkins told WESH 2. “When the map came out, I received calls from people and elected officials both in Orange and Brevard counties asking me to consider coming over to CD8 because we absolutely believe it’s in play.”She had planned to challenge Republican Randy Fine in Florida’s 6th Congressional District before the new map was released. In response to critics who question the change, Jenkins said: “I believed it was important for me to be in the places I thought I would be the most impactful and the most beneficial and with the redistricting … it brings this seat into play.” She said she was excited “to show up for the people of Brevard County.””The amount of calls I’ve had from people saying ‘we just need a real person who understands what it feels like to be struggling in this economy, what it feels like to hear our schools are closing down’ … ” she said. WESH 2 reached out to Haridopolos and is waiting to hear back Jenkins previously made headlines after defeating a now-Moms for Liberty co-founder in 2020. She later faced criticism from parental rights activists over her COVID-19 precautions and other policies.The former Brevard County school board member also ran for U.S. Senate. >> This is a developing story and will be updated

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —

Jennifer Jenkins confirmed she is running for Florida’s 8th Congressional District seat against Republican Mike Haridopolos.

It comes as Florida’s House and Senate approved a new congressional map put forward by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I was eagerly anticipating to see what was going to happen with the redistricting of the maps from DeSantis,” Jenkins told WESH 2. “When the map came out, I received calls from people and elected officials both in Orange and Brevard counties asking me to consider coming over to CD8 because we absolutely believe it’s in play.”

She had planned to challenge Republican Randy Fine in Florida’s 6th Congressional District before the new map was released.

In response to critics who question the change, Jenkins said:

“I believed it was important for me to be in the places I thought I would be the most impactful and the most beneficial and with the redistricting … it brings this seat into play.”

She said she was excited “to show up for the people of Brevard County.”

“The amount of calls I’ve had from people saying ‘we just need a real person who understands what it feels like to be struggling in this economy, what it feels like to hear our schools are closing down’ … ” she said.

WESH 2 reached out to Haridopolos and is waiting to hear back

Jenkins previously made headlines after defeating a now-Moms for Liberty co-founder in 2020. She later faced criticism from parental rights activists over her COVID-19 precautions and other policies.

The former Brevard County school board member also ran for U.S. Senate.

>> This is a developing story and will be updated