Carl Goodrich
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Personal
Contact
Carl Goodrich (Republican Party) is running for election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 74. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.
Goodrich completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Carl Goodrich was born in Spencer, West Virginia. He earned a high school diploma from the Sarasota Military Academy. His career experience includes working as an emergency medical technician. Goodrich has been affiliated with the Republican Party of Sarasota County, the North Port Republican Club, and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. He also volunteers with the North Port Chamber of Commerce and acts as an informal advocate for Project Exodus.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Florida House of Representatives elections, 2026
Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Endorsements
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2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Carl Goodrich completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Goodrich's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Carl Goodrich is a Republican candidate for the Florida House of Representatives, District 74. He grew up in North Port, Florida, and graduated from Sarasota Military Academy, where he gained a strong foundation in discipline, leadership, and service.
Goodrich went on to become a licensed EMT, a role that gave him firsthand experience helping people in times of crisis and instilled in him a deep respect for public safety and community service.
In 2021, Goodrich was involved in a serious car accident that became a turning point in his life. The experience gave him a new perspective on resilience and recovery, strengthening his determination to serve others and deepening his commitment to his community. It reinforced his belief that leadership means stepping up during life’s most difficult moments.
These experiences inspired Goodrich to step forward as a candidate. He has seen how rising costs, housing shortages, and hurricane recovery efforts affect families, and he believes that local voices must be better represented in Tallahassee.
Grounded in conservative values, Goodrich is focused on responsible growth, protecting Florida’s natural environment, strengthening public safety, and ensuring government remains accountable to the people.
Goodrich is proud to call Southwest Florida home and is committed to preserving its character while building opportunity for the next generation.- My roots in North Port have shaped who I am and why I’m running. I care deeply about the people of District 74, and my service as an EMT has shown me how important it is to stand with families during their toughest moments. I want to bring that same compassion and commitment to representing our community in Tallahassee.
- I believe in responsible growth that protects both our quality of life and Florida’s natural environment. Southwest Florida deserves a balanced approach that encourages opportunity while ensuring our community remains strong for future generations.
- Surviving a car accident in 2021 gave me a renewed perspective on life and service. It reminded me how fragile life can be and strengthened my determination to dedicate myself fully to helping others. I care about this community, and I want to make sure every voice here is heard and respected in our state government.
Carl Goodrich is focused on public safety, supporting first responders, and improving emergency services. He advocates for responsible growth that preserves Florida’s environment, promotes affordable housing, and strengthens community resilience. Goodrich supports accessible healthcare, mental health resources, and effective hurricane preparedness and recovery. He is committed to government accountability, ensuring local voices are represented, and supporting veterans, service members, and their families.
Goodrich looks up to Ron DeSantis for his leadership and commitment to public safety and conservative principles. He seeks to emulate DeSantis by standing firm on values while prioritizing the well-being of Floridians.
Carl Goodrich believes that elected officials should be honest, accountable, and transparent in their actions. They should listen to their constituents, make decisions based on facts and the public interest, and demonstrate integrity, dedication, and a commitment to service. Good leaders also show resilience, compassion, and fairness, ensuring that government works effectively for all members of the community.
Carl Goodrich believes that an elected representative must listen to constituents, represent their interests, and make informed decisions that promote the community’s well-being. They are responsible for creating and supporting policies that strengthen public safety, protect local resources, and encourage responsible growth. Additionally, officials must ensure government accountability, manage public resources wisely, and respond effectively to emergencies and community needs.
Goodrich wants to leave a Florida that future generations, including his grandchildren’s grandchildren, can be proud of. He hopes to make Florida a hub of opportunity and innovation while preserving the unique character and soul of the state.
Born in 1997, Goodrich recalls the events of 9/11 as the first historical moment he remembers, which made a lasting impression on his understanding of community, resilience, and service. Goodrich was 4 years old.
Carl Goodrich’s first job was working for Marker 4 during high school, where he worked for about a year. The experience taught him the value of hard work and that dedication and effort have tangible rewards.
Goodrich’s favorite book is “American Sniper” by Chris Kyle because it highlights service, sacrifice, and resilience, qualities he values deeply in his own life and public service.
Goodrich would choose Captain America because the character embodies courage, integrity, and dedication to protecting others, reflecting the values he brings to both his EMT work and his public service.
In 2021, Goodrich was involved in a serious car accident that required three surgeries and nearly resulted in death from infection. During recovery, he had a moment of vulnerability where he broke down crying and apologized to a CNA for his condition, and the CNA responded, “I would want my family members to be treated the way I am treating you.” This experience changed him deeply, guiding him toward a life of public service.
Carl Goodrich believes the governor and state legislature should maintain a collaborative and respectful relationship, working together to serve the people of Florida. While each branch has distinct responsibilities, effective governance requires open communication, compromise when appropriate, and a shared focus on the public interest to ensure laws and policies benefit the state and its communities.
Carl Goodrich believes Florida’s greatest challenges will include managing population growth while protecting the environment, ensuring affordable housing, and strengthening resilience to hurricanes and natural disasters. Addressing these issues will require careful planning, responsible growth policies, and investments in infrastructure.
Goodrich believes prior experience can be helpful but is not required. What is most important is a legislator’s commitment to public service, understanding of community needs, and ability to make informed decisions that reflect the interests of constituents.
Yes. Goodrich believes collaborative relationships help legislators pass meaningful policies, solve complex problems, and address community needs more effectively. Strong working relationships promote compromise and ensure government works efficiently for the people.
Carl Goodrich looks to Ron DeSantis as a model for leadership. He admires DeSantis’s focus on conservative principles, commitment to public safety, and willingness to make difficult decisions that prioritize the well-being of Floridians. Goodrich seeks to emulate this approach by being a leader who stands firm on his values while addressing the needs of his community.
Goodrich’s immediate focus is on serving the residents of District 74 in the Florida House of Representatives. While he may consider other opportunities in the future, his priority is addressing local issues and representing his community effectively.
Goodrich recalls helping a family during a medical emergency as an EMT. Seeing the relief on their faces and knowing he could make a difference in a critical moment reinforced his commitment to public service and listening to the needs of residents.
Goodrich believes the legislature should provide oversight of emergency powers to ensure they are used appropriately and responsibly. While emergency powers are sometimes necessary, they should protect public safety without bypassing accountability
Goodrich would introduce legislation to strengthen emergency preparedness and response systems in Florida. After seeing the devastation our district endured over the past several years from hurricanes and natural disasters, he is committed to ensuring communities are better equipped, and that first responders have the resources they need to mitigate these challenges and protect residents.
Goodrich supports ensuring the ballot initiative process is transparent, accessible, and secure, with clear guidelines for signature collection and verification to protect both voters and the integrity of the process.
As an EMT, Goodrich witnessed a family in crisis during a medical emergency. Seeing the relief and gratitude on their faces reinforced his commitment to helping people in their most critical moments, and reminded him of the importance of listening to residents’ needs.
Goodrich is proud of overcoming his life-threatening car accident and dedicating himself to a life of service, turning personal adversity into motivation to help others and positively impact his community.
Goodrich would focus on improving election security, streamlining voter registration, and ensuring timely access to polling locations, while maintaining public confidence in the fairness and accuracy of elections.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 7, 2025
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Daniel Perez
Majority Leader:Tyler Sirois
Minority Leader:Fentrice Driskell
Representatives
Republican Party (87)
Democratic Party (32)
Vacancies (1)
