TEAM / Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart joined The Southern Group in 2024 after an accomplished career in campaign strategy and fundraising. Jon brings with him contacts across the state – but his deep connections to Tampa and Hillsborough County bring unique value to The Southern Group’s Tampa Bay office.
Stewart’s “never met a stranger” persona helped him raise countless millions of dollars for candidates ranging from the presidential and gubernatorial races to Tampa city council contests.
After earning his degree in environmental science and policy from the University of South Florida, Stewart dove straight into politics. An Ohio native, Stewart’s family moved to Florida while he was a teenager. Dinner table conversation about politics lit the fire for his career in that field. He went to D.C. and completed an internship at the U.S. Department of the Interior before returning to Tampa to begin his career.
He played an integral role as regional finance director in Charlie Crist’s gubernatorial campaign in 2014. From there, Jon established himself as an invaluable strategic advisor on the campaign trail and held leadership roles in various campaigns for notable Florida democrats.
A “Top 30 under 30” Florida Politics alum in 2016, Stewart’s fundraising prowess is well-documented. Most recently, his firm Jon Stewart Consulting helped raise money for successful Tampa City Council candidate Alan Clendenin and Senator Shevrin Jones.
In addition to his political expertise, Jon has built on his knowledge of environmental policy to position himself as a subject matter expert on how businesses and other organizations can navigate the complex “smart growth” terrain.
When not working, Stewart is an animal lover who supports Friends of Strays, an organization devoted to sheltering abandoned pets. Jon Lives in Saint Petersburg with his husband David.
