Florida: who should earn your vote for Congress in 2026

Opinion · The paper’s scorecard

Florida: every race for Congress on the 3 November 2026 ballot, and how the candidates measure up against our standards.

Sitting and former members are scored on the same key votes, read from the official House and Senate roll calls; each vote links to the record. Candidates who have never served in Congress have no votes to score, and outside the battlegrounds we have not researched them, so they are marked as not scored. Where only one candidate could be measured, the mark rates that record on its own; it is not a verdict on the opponent. How the marks work · All states

U.S. Senate (special election) R+5

Closer to our standards: Ashley Moody

A battleground: read our full case, with every source.

District 1 R+18

Leans our way: Jimmy Patronis

Leans our way

Jimmy Patronis

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 11 key votes · total +1

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

Against us (5)

Voted for a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Gay Valimont

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 2 R+8

No mark

Neal Dunn (R): incumbent retiring.

Amanda Green

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Austin Rogers

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 3 R+10

✓ Meets our standards: Kat Cammack

Meets our standards

Kat Cammack

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +4

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (19)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (7)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

Seth Harp

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 4 R+5

✓ Meets our standards: Aaron Bean

Meets our standards

Aaron Bean

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 21 key votes · total +5

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (14)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (7)

Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source
Voted for a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source

LaShonda Holloway

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 5 R+10

Leans our way: John Rutherford

Rachel Grage

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Leans our way

John Rutherford

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 24 key votes · total +1

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (12)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (12)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source

District 6 R+14

Leans our way: Randy Fine

Leans our way

Randy Fine

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 11 key votes · total +1

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

Against us (5)

Voted for a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Eric Yonce

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 7 R+5

No mark

Cory Mills (R): incumbent lost renomination.

Bale Dalton

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Ryan Elijah

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 8 R+8

Leans our way: Mike Haridopolos

Leans our way

Mike Haridopolos

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 11 key votes · total +1

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

Against us (5)

Voted for a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Jennifer Jenkins

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 9 R+8

No mark

Dan Green

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Darren Soto

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total -1

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
~Hard on violent crime

With us (10)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source

Against us (16)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 10 D+13

No mark

Maxwell Frost

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 21 key votes · total -3

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✓Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (10)

Voted against the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source
Voted for the amendment requiring a warrant to search Americans' communications under FISA Section 702 (it failed 212-212). Source

Against us (11)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 11 R+7

No mark

Daniel Webster (R): incumbent retiring.

James Pericola

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Joe Strada

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 12 R+7

✓ Meets our standards: Gus Bilirakis

Meets our standards

Gus Bilirakis

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +3

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (17)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (9)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source

Kimberly Overman

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 13 R+6

✓ Meets our standards: Anna Paulina Luna

Leela Gray

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Meets our standards

Anna Paulina Luna

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 18 key votes · total +5

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
~Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (13)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

Against us (5)

Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

District 14 R+4

No mark

Mike Beltran

Republican

No votes in Congress: scored on platform and record, promises at half weight · total -1

✗Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
?Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (13)

Voted against the final 2024-25 Florida budget (HB 5001 conference report), one of 3 no votes in a 105-3 House roll call. Source
Told WUSF: 'Every area of the economy that's heavily regulated – food, education, medical care – are more expensive… The government needs to get out of these businesses,' and said he 'repeatedly voted against his own leadership' when it 'increased the size of government and spending.' Source
Voted for HB 5 (2023), which abolished Enterprise Florida, the state's public-private business-incentive agency, and repealed a list of economic-incentive programs (House 112-0). Source

Against us (10)

Voted for SB 664 (2020), which required public employers and contractors to use E-Verify and private employers to use E-Verify or keep I-9 records (House passed 73-45). Source
Voted against HB 49 (2024), which loosened state limits on working hours for 16- and 17-year-olds; he was among 33 no votes on final passage (76-33). Source
Was one of 11 House members to vote against SB 182 (2019), which repealed Florida's ban on smoking medical marijuana (passed 101-11). Source

Kathy Castor

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total -4

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (8)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source

Against us (18)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 15 R+9

✓ Meets our standards: Laurel Lee

Meets our standards

Laurel Lee

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 20 key votes · total +3

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (11)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

Against us (9)

Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source
Voted for reauthorizing FISA Section 702 without a warrant requirement. Source

Robert People

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 16 R+6

No mark

Vern Buchanan (R): incumbent retiring.

Sydney Gruters

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Kelly Kirschner

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 17 R+10

✓ Meets our standards: Greg Steube

Matthew Montavon

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Meets our standards

Greg Steube

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 25 key votes · total +2

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
~Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (16)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (9)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

District 18 R+8

No mark

Scott Franklin

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total +0

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (14)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (13)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source

Curtis Gibson

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 19 R+14

No mark

Byron Donalds (R): incumbent retiring to run for governor.

Victor Arias

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Jim Schwartzel

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 20 D+20

No mark

Brent Andersen

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total -4

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (8)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source

Against us (19)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 21 R+7

✓ Meets our standards: Brian Mast

James Martin

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Meets our standards

Brian Mast

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total +2

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (17)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (10)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source

District 22 R+4

No mark

Casey Askar

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Pia Dandiya

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 23 D+9

No mark

Deborah Adeimy

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Lois Frankel

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 25 key votes · total -2

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (8)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source

Against us (17)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 24 D+22

No mark

Frederica Wilson (D): incumbent retiring.

Te Mayonna Brown

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Oliver Gilbert

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 25 R+3

No mark

Jared Moskowitz

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 21 key votes · total -1

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (10)

Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted for ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source

Against us (11)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Scott Singer

Republican

No votes in Congress: scored on platform and record, promises at half weight · total -0.5

✗Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
?No surveillance state
~Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
~Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Campaign says that as mayor he 'voted for multiple years in a row to lower the property tax rate, never voted for a tax-rate increase' and that Boca Raton has 'the lowest property tax rate of any full-service city in Florida' (self-reported). Source
Pledges to 'slash overregulation that burdens businesses,' has 'pledged not to raise taxes,' and says he would work to make President Trump's deregulatory executive orders permanent through legislation. Source
Campaign says he 'removed harmful red tape negatively affecting our local businesses' as mayor and cites the 2025 tax law's refunds for small businesses; no specifics on subsidies or antitrust found. Source

Against us (4)

Says he will 'push for greater action by Congress to expand insurance programs' for coastal flooding and windstorms and 'fight to expand existing federal funding for nonprofits at risk' of attack. Source
Boca Magazine reported that Singer's pitch to New Yorkers included 'a $70,000 billboard in Times Square,' which residents criticized as a use of city resources for self-promotion. Source
Championed a 2023 Boca Raton ballot measure to lengthen mayor and council terms from three years to four; 59% of voters rejected it, per Boca Magazine. Source

District 26 R+7

No mark

Mario Díaz-Balart

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +0

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (14)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (12)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source

Nicole Locklin

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 27 R+6

✓ Meets our standards: María Elvira Salazar

Eliott Rodriguez

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Meets our standards

María Elvira Salazar

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +2

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (14)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (12)

Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

District 28 R+10

✓ Meets our standards: Carlos Giménez

Phil Ehr

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Meets our standards

Carlos Giménez

Republican

Scored on 27 key votes · total +2

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (15)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (12)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

Photo credits. Official congressional portraits are works of the U.S. government and in the public domain. Others:

Mike Beltran: Florida House of Representatives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (file)