State Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, D-Gainesville, announced last week that she would not seek re-election in the Florida House, opening the door for new candidates in Alachua County’s only Democratic-held seat.  

Hinson joined the Florida Legislature in 2020 and won reelection in 2022 and 2024. Because of term limits, she would only be able to serve one more term in the House.  

In a letter, Hinson said she has devoted her entire adult life to serving the community and state. Approaching 78 years of age, she said it’s time for a change. 

“It has been the honor of my lifetime. Now, I feel it is time to step back, to savor the fruits of my labor, and to spend more time with family and loved ones,” Hinson said.  

Hinson will endorse Gainesville native and former staffer, Malik Moore, to replace her. Moore worked on Hinson’s campaign for U.S. Congress and then as a legislative aid for state Rep. Diane Hart.  

Moore attended Florida State University to earn his undergraduate degree, followed by a master’s degree in applied American politics and policy.  

Hinson asked her supporters to give Moore the same trust and love that she had received. 

Hinson has been the sole Democratic representative for Alachua County during her two terms, with four Republican representatives also on the local delegation. She stood alone on several local bills and initiatives, including the bill to create the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority and the bill to place single-member districts back on the ballot.  

Hinson has advocated for gun safety since a wave of juvenile violence spread in the summer of 2021. She filed a bill for the last three years to mandate that guns be locked away if kept in a vehicle. 

She told Mainstreet in 2024 that Republican representatives seemed more willing to collaborate than in the past, and she took a different approach from her Democratic peers with a vote on a homelessness bill that year.  

After the 2024 election, Hinson pointed to gerrymandering as a reason for local Republican victories but said the new candidates could be good for Gainesville.