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Florida's 17th Congressional District election (August 28, 2018 Republican primary)

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Florida's 17th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: May 4, 2018
Primary: August 28, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
Thomas Rooney (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Florida
Race ratings
Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018): R+13
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
Florida's 17th Congressional District
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Florida elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018


State Sen. Greg Steube (R) defeated state Rep. Julio Gonzalez (R) in the Republican primary for Florida's 17th Congressional District on August 28, 2018. Both candidates were social conservatives, veterans, and attorneys who served in the state legislature. Different coalitions consolidated around them, however.

More than ten members of Congress endorsed Gonzalez, including Florida delegation members Sen. Marco Rubio (R) and Reps. Carlos Curbelo (R), Mario Diaz-Balart (R), and Neal Dunn (R). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also backed Gonzalez, citing his healthcare policy and experience as a surgeon.[3]

Steube was endorsed by the Club for Growth, House Freedom Fund, National Rifle Association, and With Honor Fund. Americans for Prosperity rated him the most fiscally conservative Florida legislator in 2017.[4]

Pointing to tweets Gonzalez wrote in March 2016, Steube described his opponent as an anti-Trump candidate. Gonzalez, who supported Rubio in the 2016 presidential election, tweeted then, "The fact that Trump is still in the race is deplorable!"[5]

The third candidate on the ballot, Vietnam War veteran and businessman Bill Akins (R), made the same charge against Steube, questioning why he had accepted money from organizations critical of Trump.[6]

Gonzalez and Steube had more than $300,000 in cash on hand after the second quarter of 2018. Satellite groups also spent six figures on ad buys to bolster their campaigns. Club for Growth committed to spending $400,000 on the race to support Steube, while CLA, Inc. spent $200,000 to oppose Steube.[7][8]

Incumbent Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) did not seek re-election.


Election results

Greg Steube defeated Bill Akins and Julio Gonzalez in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 17 on August 28, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 17

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Greg Steube
Greg Steube
 
62.4
 
48,983
Image of Bill Akins
Bill Akins Candidate Connection
 
19.3
 
15,142
Image of Julio Gonzalez
Julio Gonzalez
 
18.3
 
14,409

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 78,534
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Top candidates

Republican Party Julio Gonzalez

Julio Gonzalez.png

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Gonzalez was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives, representing South Sarasota County, in 2014. After attending the University of Miami School of Medicine, Gonzalez joined the U.S. Navy and served as a flight surgeon on two deployments aboard the U.S.S. America. Gonzalez also practiced law as an attorney.[9]

In the state legislature, Gonzalez sponsored gun ownership-related legislation and an amendment to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1998 that would have allowed private child-placement agencies not to provide services to same-sex couples seeking to adopt on the basis of religion.[10][11]

Gonzalez identified repealing Roe v. Wade through legislative or judicial decree, passing the Balanced Budget Amendment, and providing religious education in schools as some of his policy priorities.[12]

Republican Party Greg Steube

Greg Steube.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Steube was elected to the state House in 2010 and the state Senate in 2016. Before holding elected office, Steube served as an airborne infantry officer and judge advocate general in the U.S. Army. He received his undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Florida.[13]

"As a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, anti-illegal immigration fighter for our constitutional rights, I will proudly support Trump and his agenda in Washington," Steube said when announcing his candidacy.[14]

On his campaign website, Steube listed repealing gun-free zones, building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and opposing Roe v. Wade as some of his policy priorities.[13]

Candidates

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

Republican Party factional conflict

See also: Republican Party factional conflict in U.S. House primaries, 2018

Disputes between potential members of the House Freedom Caucus and other members of the Republican Party occurred in U.S. House primaries in 2018.

In 2015, conservative Republicans formed the Freedom Caucus and began opposing House Republican leaders on fiscal policy, chamber procedures, and caucus leadership, among other things.[15] Members of the Freedom Caucus broke away from the Republican Study Committee, which, along with the Republican Main Street Partnership, was more closely aligned with House Republican leaders.[16]

In this primary, Greg Steube affiliated with the Freedom Caucus.[17][18]

The chart below shows a scorecard for how the Freedom Caucus performed in competitive Republican primaries that featured at least one Freedom Caucus candidate and one Republican opponent not affiliated with the group.

U.S. House Republican factions
Faction Primary victories in 2018 Seats held prior to primaries Performance
Affiliated with the House Freedom Caucus 8 6 +2
Not affiliated with the House Freedom Caucus[19] 10 12 -2

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.


Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Allen Ellison Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
April Freeman Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Bill Pollard Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Bill Akins Republican Party $32,285 $32,285 $0 As of December 31, 2018
Julio Gonzalez Republican Party $601,426 $593,190 $8,236 As of December 31, 2018
Greg Steube Republican Party $879,106 $694,038 $185,068 As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," . This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.


Endorsements

The table below summarizes the endorsements Ballotpedia identified for Republican candidates in the primary for Florida's 17th Congressional District.

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement Republican Party Akins Republican Party Gonzalez Republican Party Steube
Federal officials
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)[20] ✔
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)[20] ✔
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas)[20] ✔
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.)[20] ✔
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.)[20] ✔
Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.)[20] ✔
Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.)[20] ✔
Rep. Andrew Harris (R-Md.)[20] ✔
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.)[20] ✔
Rep. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)[20] ✔
Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.)[20] ✔
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio)[20] ✔
Organizations
U.S. Chamber of Commerce[3] ✔
With Honor Fund[21] ✔
American Medical Association[20] ✔
Club for Growth[22] ✔
Family Research Council[22] ✔
National Rifle Association[22] ✔
Republican Liberty Caucus[22] ✔

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Florida's 17th Congressional District, Republican primary
Poll Akins GonzalezSteubeUndecided/OtherMargin of ErrorSample Size
WPA Intelligence
August 8-9, 2018		 8%12%24%56%+/-5.7300
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org


Satellite spending

  • CLA, Inc. spent $200,000 on media placement and production opposing Steube in July 2018.[8]
  • Club for Growth reserved $400,000 in a broadcast, cable, and satellite media buy in July 2018 for ads supporting Steube.[23]
  • National Horizon PAC spent $112,000 on a media buy against Gonzalez in July 2018.[24]
  • With Honor Fund spent $100,000 on an ad buy for Steube in August 2018.[25]

Debates and forums

July 24, 2018, debate

Akins, Gonzalez, and Steube participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Nokomis Area Civic Association on July 24, 2018. They discussed infrastructure and the Herbert Hoover Dike, offshore drilling, and their top three priorities.

  • Find The Herald-Tribune round-up of the candidate forum here.
Nokomis Area Civic Association Candidate Forum, July 24, 2018


Campaign themes and policy stances

Campaign themes

These were the policy positions listed on the candidates' websites, if available.

Republican Party Bill Akins

“

Veterans

Without Veterans, this great nation would have perished a long time ago. We owe our Nation’s Veterans more than can ever be totally repaid, so let’s do the very best that we can for them.

The current crisis in the Veterans Administration can be cleaned up with just a few changes.

First, we need a VA Secretary that is a Veteran, and not just some bureaucrat. Bureaucrats are, for the most part, interested in saving their own skin before taking care of our Vets. We need to allow the Secretary of VA to have authority and responsibility for the people under him/her. If someone is not getting the job done, the Secretary of the VA should have the authority to make the necessary personnel changes immediately. We must get rid of the enormous waste that is currently allowed to happen at the VA.

We need to hire top quality doctors, not the hacks that are filling some of the slots now. We need to make it a priority to get the backlog of claims and appeals caught up, and make sure the claims are done right the first time so the number of appeals claims will be lower.

AGAIN, we ALL owe our freedom to the American Fighting Men and Women. We need to make sure that they get the very BEST that America has to offer.

Healthcare

The quality of healthcare has diminished and the premiums have skyrocketed to the point of not being affordable. There is no doubt that Obama Care is not working. There are programs in the private sector that seem to be working, such as the Epiphany program. Under this program, primary care is quite affordable. When insurance policies with lower premiums for catastrophic coverage become more affordable, more people will receive quality care. Ideas like the Epiphany program can pave the way for the future.

We should insist that insurance companies be allowed to compete across state lines. Keeping the “pre-existing conditions” clause intact should allow premiums to come down. We should block grant Medicaid to the states because each state has different needs and should be able to most efficiently ascertain their particular needs or problems. There is definitely no “One Size Fits All ” when it comes to health care. If we vigorously prosecute Medicare fraud and get rid of the waste and abuse, the real costs will come down.

Any time the Federal Government has total control, there is too much room for waste, fraud, misuse, and bureaucratic bungling.

Specific, aggressive reforms need to be made in regard to Veterans’ health care.

Justice Reforms

One of the biggest reforms needed is to enforce laws on the books. So many criminals go free because of liberal judges (and past liberal Presidents) who interpret the laws too openly. I feel that prisons should be a place of PUNISHMENT, not resorts where there are no cares in the world. Sheriff Joe Arpaio had the right idea, making prisons so tough that a person would never want to go back. For Capital cases, a panel of three retired or active judges, randomly drawn. should watch over the trial. If a guilty verdict is rendered, and if the majority of the three judges see nothing that warrants an appeal, then sentencing will be immediate. The cost to taxpayers of maintaining death row prisoners for years can NOT be justified. Also, let’s not feel sorry for vicious murderers and how they might be “uncomfortable” after committing crimes. They should have to suffer as much as their victims.

Energy

As technology continues to improve, we need to use fossil fuels more efficiently and with less pollution. Because we have huge reserves of natural gas, we must learn to use natural gas wherever possible as long as we can keep it clean.

Wind and Solar energy sources are part of our future, and there will be more utilization of these renewable sources as technology keeps improving.

Oil is going to be around for quite a long time. We continue to improve ways to extract oil with fewer and fewer dangers, and we need to make sure that the oil companies stay current with safe procedures to lessen the chance of environmental disasters.

With the proper management of these resources, we can become totally and permanently energy independent.

Taxes

The government has made taxes a “dirty” word.  Let’s be honest, taxes are necessary to keep America safe from the evils of the world and to keep our government operating. However, we should not be paying for things like Planned Parenthood and their abortion mills. We should also not have to pay for everyone’s pet projects that benefit only a few. We need not be funding “Sanctuary Cities” to just spit in the faces of law-abiding citizens. Also, we MUST stop the Sexual Harassment Slush Fund, and fire everyone who has been a part of that SCAM! We need to cut spending, then lower taxes after getting caught up to avoid leaving a mess to our children and grandchildren.

I will be bringing back an old watchdog, The Golden Fleece Awards. We must control the outrageous spending first, and to do that we have to “DRAIN THE SWAMP!”

Environment

I am confident that as technology improves, we will find ways to have cleaner coal-fired energy and have more efficient automobiles. Clean water is a MUST, and I have confidence that we will continue to make scientific advances to keep clean water.

I will insist that we continue to pursue improvements in technology in order to make our earth a better place without sacrificing our economy. In fact, advancing technologies should create jobs and help with the economy.

Education

The Department of Education needs to be educated. Again, there is NO “One Size Fits All” solution.

Bureaucrats don’t seem to understand the differences of kids growing up on a ranch in Montana and kids going to class in downtown Brooklyn. They should let the STATES decide how best to run their schools and the PARENTS decide how their kids should be taught. Obviously, there are some common areas that need to be taught, but let the locals administer that.

Not everyone needs a Master’s degree! There are many TECH areas that do not require a college degree, like machine operators. Have you ever seen what a good welder can make? You can’t get those skills by having a college degree. Career paths can be decided while in high school, and TRADE SCHOOLS should be available for Grants and Scholarships. They are every bit as important as a Law degree, but maybe more preferable. Give each State its own voice, with parental involvement strongly encouraged.

2nd Amendment

Most people don’t really know what the 2nd Amendment is all about. Many believe that it’s about being able to hunt or defend your family from bad guys.  While it is because we have the 2nd Amendment that we can do those things legally, the true reason for the 2nd Amendment is to protect free Americans from an over-reaching tyrannical government.

If we read the Declaration of Independence, we can see where severing the bonds from a tyrannical government is clearly an option, though it should NOT be taken lightly. If things get that bad, we have the authority to do just that. And how, without weapons, would that be possible? It can’t! Our wise Founding Fathers, being very far-sighted, added that 2nd Amendment to protect all the other parts of the Constitution.

The current gun laws, if properly enforced, should be quite sufficient to keep fire arms away from most crazy people and criminals. Not that there won’t be a breach somewhere at times, but it’s a small price to pay to guarantee the rest of the freedoms we cherish and enjoy. We need to vigorously enforce the laws already on the books, severely punish those who use firearms in commission of a crime, and use capital punishment to the maximum.

Immigration

I firmly believe in the American Dream, so I believe that MOST of those coming to the United States from Mexico are looking for jobs to support their families. BUILD THE WALL…..

When I was younger, we had a “Guest Worker” Program in which the men and women coming from Mexico were documented, and we knew who they were and where they lived. They were harvesting crops for the most part, and some were working in construction and other areas, but we knew who they were. BUILD THE WALL…..

The main reason for the Wall is National Security. A nation without borders is just a bunch of land occupied by whoever wanders in. We MUST maintain our sovereignty, and unless we control our borders, we cannot. Terrorists and drug smugglers are crossing into America every day, and IT MUST STOP. I believe that people who want to become a part of our Great Nation should learn our language and our culture. If they want to become Americans, they should pledge allegiance to our flag and this great country before they can begin the process. If not, they are only visitors and need to return home. There is plenty of land in the Middle East to resettle refugees until they can get their country back. If they want it back, then all those young men need to go take it back and stand up for themselves. We can only support them for so long!

No more catching illegals and giving them a ticket to appear, since we all know that does NOT work. NO SANCTUARY CITIES! What about “ILLEGAL” do they not understand?

We are a kind and passionate people, but we need to be fair to our own citizens and make them our priority. BUILD THE WALL…….[26]

”
—Akins for Congress[27]

Republican Party Julio Gonzalez

“

ABORTION

Human life begins at the moment of conception. Any decision made to terminate that life, whether the baby has yet crossed the birth canal or not, represents an unacceptable affront to that child. Consequently, I am against abortion except in the rarest of circumstances such as when the baby is not viable and when the mother's life is imminently at risk.

Further, the appropriate place for the enactment of policies regarding abortion lies with the states, not with the federal government. Consequently, I ardently support the repeal of Roe v. Wade, either through legislation or judicial decree.

BUDGET/SPENDING

America's wasteful and irresponsible spending practices represent a threat to her financial stability and, ultimately, to her security. Since the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment, our history serves as a case study on what happens when politicians already addicted to money and power are given access to a virtually unlimited source of capital.

Sadly, politicians alone cannot be trusted at reigning in irresponsible government spending. The only solution to our nation's spending crisis is the passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment along with replacements of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments with provisions closer to those which the Framers intended.

EDUCATION

The decisions on how to educate our children must be kept with the parents and their teachers. More than any other agency or organization, the Department of Education has worked to disrupt the necessary relationship between parents and their children's schools and to morph the content of what is taught to our children, particularly in history and civics. I am an ardent supporter of steps that would return religious education to our schools, private and public, and to parents regaining control of the information being disseminated to their children under the guise of academia.

ENVIRONMENT

Our environment is the greatest treasure bestowed to us by God. As such, we must treat it with the greatest care and with an eye towards preserving it for the future enjoyment of our posterity. But the facade of environmental protection has been used to zealously to impede innovation, job production, and our national stability. Although we must continue to pursue more environmentally sound energy alternatives, we must do so intelligently and always careful not to fall into a trap aimed at global wealth redistribution and at lowering America's global standing.

OFFSHORE DRILLING

In an increasingly tumultuous world, America must explore every opportunity at achieving energy self-sufficiency. In that light, I am convinced that offshore drilling can be performed safely. Crucial to that effort is removing the needless geographical restrictions making it more difficult and dangerous to access America's precious fuel sources and to rapidly respond to potential mishaps.

Although I am concerned about our present abilities to safely harness fuel sources under our seas, I am averse to a blanket opposition to offshore drilling since it is tantamount to admitting that mankind is incapable of surmounting even the most daunting of tasks.

HEALTH CARE

Health care is arguably the largest and most intimately impactful silo of government regulatory oversight. Although health care policy is extremely complex, clearly, the most appropriate place for decisions to be made regarding one's health care is in the doctor's office. As such, the best approach to health care legislation is to minimize government's regulatory sphere of influence and to leave the decision-making as close to the patient as possible. This means moving heath care policy decisions away from the federal government and placing them in the hands of the various states where they more properly belong.

IMMIGRATION

The United States has the inherent right to control its borders and to determine who crosses it and under what circumstances. Many of the problems regarding illegal immigration stem from the federal government's longstanding negligence in securing our borders and in enforcing our immigration laws. It is high time that these trends are reversed. Our nation's borders must be secured and our immigration policies enforced. These efforts must include the implementation of E-Verify, measures aimed at identifying and deporting people who have overstayed their visas, and yes, the construction of physical barriers to immigration.

INFRASTRUCTURE

America's roads are in disrepair, and our major airports are aged and decaying. The federal government must play a strong and decisive role in improving and upgrading our nation's ailing infrastructure. I support efforts aimed at improving our roads, bridges, and highways. Additionally, I will make every effort at modernizing our seaports and airports inclusive of implementing the security measures necessary to avert threats to our citizens. I generally support mass and rapid transit alternatives to our transportation designs, so long as they are self-sufficient and do not place ongoing budgetary strains on our citizens.

JOBS AND THE ECONOMY

America's greatest days lie ahead of her, not behind her. But achieving this era of unparalleled economic growth and wealth expansion can only take place under the influence of the invisible hand of innovation and self-improvement described by Adam Smith, and not at the behest of government. As such, the most effective way of growing the economy and promoting job creation is for government to get out of the way. America became the land of opportunity because its citizens were free to pursue their passions and not because they could apply to yet another dysfunctional government program.

NATIONAL SECURITY

Protecting its citizens from the encroachments of enemies, foreign and domestic, is the single, most important, function of government. Indeed, the principal reason for the adoption of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution is the quest for a stronger national position to better protect the citizenry.

Although the names of the threats may have changed, the gravity of the role of government at successfully repelling them have not. The United States, therefore, must continue to maintain a robust position in its international dealings so as to avert even the thought of an encroachment against its citizens.

ISRAEL

America's greatest ally in the Middle East is the State of Israel. Few relationships are as pivotal to the continuation of regional stability than the one United States shares with Israel. With commons interests in the promotion of stable democracies and in the respect for human rights, the continuation of a robust relationship between these two regional partners and the promotion of each nation's financial and military strength is paramount to a long and lasting peace, not only in the Middle East, but globally. Read my position paper here.

IRAN

The single greatest threat to global stability is the disruptive and destabilizing influence of the Iranian regime. With its goals of establishing a corridor to the Mediterranean Sea and achieving the destruction of Israel, the Iranian government will stop at nothing to spread terrorism and hate to the rest of the world. America's policy must therefore be one of containment and disruption. A nuclear Iran is an unacceptable addition to the community of nations, and the United States, along with its friend in Israel, must ascertain such a reality never materializes.

NORTH KOREA

Kim Jung Un, with his paranoid and erratic behavior, represents a menace to the United States and the community of peaceful nations. For too long, the United States has allowed for the expansion and fortification of this oppressive regime. I strongly agree with President Trump's position that North Korea can only be treated with a firm hand and an uncompromising posture. The only language Kim Jung Un understands is the strength of its adversaries. The United States does have a bigger button than North Korea, and it should continue to capitalize on that advantage.

RUSSIA

Vladimir Putin's highest priority is the restoration of the global dominance of the old Russian Empire regardless of the effects upon its neighbors. Obama's approach of achieving a diplomatic solution is a predictable failure and must be replaced with a policy predicated on Russia as a global adversary. I firmly support continued sanctions against Russia, the restoration of a strong and robust American presence in Eastern Europe, and the disruption of Russia's clandestine network of destabilizing influences throughout the world. I am hopeful that incoming National Security Advisor John Bolton will provide a more effective approach at dealing with Russia.

SECOND AMENDMENT

The right of the people to keep and bear arms cannot be infringed. Whether it be in support of a well-regulated militia, for self defense, sport, or to avert the tyranny and oppression that inevitably follows the disarming of a nation's population, legislators must resist the misguided urge promoted by those on the left to infringe our Second Amendment rights. The results of such cavalier and callus legislation is the deterioration of our safety and our moral standing.

TAXES

"The power to tax is the power to destroy” – So said John Marshall, America's most prolific Supreme Court Justice. Unquestionably, taxes are needed for government to carry out its functions, but it is a tool to be exercised with great care. Government cannot create wealth through its taxation policy, but rather can only take it for its own gain. The soundest taxation policy, therefore, is minimalistic. The less government takes from the people, the more the people can use their money in a manner that benefits them, their own wealth, and their financial stability.[26]

”
—Gonzalez for Congress[28]

Republican Party Greg Steube

“

2nd Amendment

  • The only candidate endorsed by the NRA
  • Sponsored more pro-gun bills than any member of the Florida legislature.
  • Supported and will continue to support the repeal of so-called "gun-free" zones.
  • Voted against the gun-control bill passed by the legislature.

Immigration

  • Build the wall. Secure the border.
  • Ban Sanctuary Cities and restore the Rule of Law.
  • Sponsored Florida's version of "Kate's Law" which would ban dangerous criminals from entering our state.
  • Sponsored legislation to repeal Instate Tuition for Illegal Immigrants.

Pro Life

  • Received an "A Rating" from Florida Right To Life
  • There is no place for abortion in a civilized society.
  • Roe v. Wade is bad law and violates the right to life guaranteed by our Constitution.
  • Sponsored the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act", which bans abortions in the state of Florida after 20 weeks.

Veterans

  • If we can't take care of our Veterans, we have lost our country.
  • Congress needs leaders who will hold the VA accountable and give our vets the care they deserve.
  • Sponsored numerous bills that lower taxes and provide a greater quality of life for Florida's veterans.[26]
 ”
—Steube for Congress[29]

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Julio Gonzalez

Oppose
"Malpractice" - Club for Growth ad, August 6, 2018

Timeline

  • August 6, 2018: Club for Growth launched a $300,000 ad campaign against Gonzalez, highlighting a quote from his book about allowing insurance companies to restrict treatment for individuals "no longer of value to society.”[31]
  • August 4, 2018: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Gonzalez. National political director Rob Engstrom said in a statement, "As a doctor and surgeon, he has been an advocate for real healthcare reform that focuses on the patient, not the government, as well as the impact healthcare costs have on small business."[3]
  • July 24, 2018: Akins, Gonzalez, and Steube participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Nokomis Area Civic Association.
  • July 23, 2018: Akins and Gonzalez joined together to challenge Steube's identification as a combat veteran, saying he mischaracterized his service. Steube, who served in the JAG Corps and deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, responded, "Anyone that served in Afghanistan, especially that conducted missions outside the wire, was always in harm’s way." He added, "I have never said that I have been awarded the combat action badge, or the combat infantry badge."[32]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Florida's 17th Congressional District election, 2018
Race tracker Race ratings
October 30, 2018 October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political Report Solid Republican Solid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales Solid Republican Solid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball Safe Republican Safe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+13, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 13 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Florida's 17th Congressional District the 108th most Republican nationally.[33]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.10. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.10 points toward that party.[34]

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Florida heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Trifecta status

2018 elections

See also: Florida elections, 2018

Florida held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Florida
 FloridaU.S.
Total population:20,244,914316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):53,6253,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:76%73.6%
Black/African American:16.1%12.6%
Asian:2.6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.4%3%
Hispanic/Latino:23.7%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:86.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:27.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$47,507$53,889
Persons below poverty level:19.8%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Florida.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2017, Florida's three largest cities were Jacksonville (pop. est. 860,000), Miami (pop. est. 430,000), and Tampa (pop. est. 360,000).[35][36]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Florida from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Florida Department of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Florida every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Florida 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 49.0% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 47.8% 1.2%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 50.0% Republican Party Mitt Romney 49.1% 0.9%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 51.0% Republican Party John McCain 48.2% 2.8%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 52.10% Democratic Party John Kerry 47.09% 5.01%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 48.847% Democratic Party Al Gore 48.838% 0.009%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Florida from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Florida 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Marco Rubio 52.0% Democratic Party Patrick Murphy 44.3% 7.7%
2012 Democratic Party Bill Nelson 55.2% Republican Party Connie Mack 42.2% 13.0%
2010 Republican Party Marco Rubio 48.9% Independent Charlie Crist 29.7% 19.2%
2006 Democratic Party Bill Nelson 60.3% Republican Party Katherine Harris 38.1% 22.2%
2004 Republican Party Mel Martinez 49.4% Democratic Party Betty Castor 48.3% 1.1%
2000 Democratic Party Bill Nelson 51.0% Republican Party Bill McCollum 46.2% 4.8%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Florida.

Election results (Governor/Lt. Governor), Florida 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Rick Scott/Carlos Lopez-Cantera 48.1% Democratic Party Charlie Crist/Annette Taddeo-Goldstein 47.1% 1%
2010 Republican Party Rick Scott/Jennifer Carroll 48.9% Democratic Party Alex Sink/Rod Smith 47.7% 1.2%
2006 Republican Party Charlie Crist/Jeff Kottkamp 52.2% Democratic Party Jim Davis/Daryl Jones 45.1% 7.1%
2002 Republican Party Jeb Bush/Frank Brogan 56.0% Democratic Party Bill McBride/Tom Rossin 43.2% 12.8%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Florida in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Florida 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 17 62.9% Democratic Party 10 37.0% R+7
2014 Republican Party 17 62.9% Democratic Party 10 37.0% R+7
2012 Republican Party 17 62.9% Democratic Party 10 37.0% R+7
2010 Republican Party 19 76.0% Democratic Party 6 24.0% R+13
2008 Republican Party 15 60.0% Democratic Party 10 40.0% R+5
2006 Republican Party 16 64.0% Democratic Party 9 36.0% R+7
2004 Republican Party 18 66.7% Democratic Party 7 33.3% R+11
2002 Republican Party 17 66.7% Democratic Party 8 33.3% R+9
2000 Republican Party 15 57.9% Democratic Party 8 42.1% R+7

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Florida Party Control: 1992-2024
One year of a Democratic trifecta  •  Twenty-six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R I R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Four of 67 Florida counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Jefferson County, Florida 5.06% 1.75% 3.66%
Monroe County, Florida 6.82% 0.44% 4.90%
Pinellas County, Florida 1.11% 5.65% 8.25%
St. Lucie County, Florida 2.40% 7.86% 12.12%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Florida with 49 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.8 percent. Florida was considered a key battleground state in the 2016 general election. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Florida voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. Florida went to the Republicans in 2000, 2004, and 2016, and it went to the Democrats in 2008 and 2012.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Florida. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[37][38]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 55 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 29.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 54 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 30.3 points. Clinton won 14 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 65 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 17.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 21.1 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
  2. ↑ Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Florida Politics, "U.S. Chamber banks on Julio Gonzalez," August 4, 2018
  4. ↑ Sarasota Magazine, "Greg Steube Fights for Guns and Individual Rights," February 7, 2018
  5. ↑ Florida Politics, "Gloves off: Greg Steube slams Julio Gonzalez as ‘Never Trump’ Republican," July 12, 2018
  6. ↑ Herald-Tribune, "Gonzalez, Akins attack Steube in televised debate," August 15, 2018
  7. ↑ Daily Kos, "Live Digest: July 16, 2018," July 16, 2018
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 FEC, "FILING FEC-1253763," accessed August 4, 2018
  9. ↑ Julio Gonzalez for Congress, "About Dr. Julio Gonzalez," accessed July 17, 2018
  10. ↑ Florida Politics, "'Religious freedom' bill to prevent gay adoptions refiled for 2016," October 21, 2015
  11. ↑ Herald Tribune, "Venice state Rep. Julio Gonzalez will run for Congress," March 4, 2018
  12. ↑ Julio Gonzalez for Congress, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2018
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Steube for Congress, "Home," accessed July 17, 2018
  14. ↑ Gainesville, "Greg Steube is running for US Congress," February 26, 2018
  15. ↑ Pew Research Center, "What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who’s in it?" October 20, 2015
  16. ↑ Politico, "Conservatives split off from Republican Study Committee," January 13, 2015
  17. ↑ House Freedom Fund, "Endorsements," accessed May 15, 2018
  18. ↑ Some candidates were not formally endorsed by the caucus but said they would join if elected. See a list of all Freedom Caucus-affiliated candidates here.
  19. ↑ This includes all seats not held by members of the Freedom Caucus prior to the 2018 elections, including those held by Democrats.
  20. ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 Gonzalez for Congress, "Endorsements," accessed July 17, 2018
  21. ↑ Florida Politics, "Veterans group picks Greg Steube for CD 17," May 22, 2018
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Steube for Congress, "Endorsements," accessed July 17, 2018
  23. ↑ Club for Growth, "More Than $1 Million Raised in Support of Greg Steube," July 13, 2018
  24. ↑ FEC, "FILING FEC-1252935," accessed July 30, 2018
  25. ↑ FEC, "FILING FEC-1256031," accessed August 18, 2018
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  27. ↑ Akins for Congress, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2018
  28. ↑ Gonzalez for Congress, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2018
  29. ↑ Steube for Congress, "Home," accessed July 17, 2018
  30. ↑ FEC, "FILING FEC-1256031," accessed August 20, 2018
  31. ↑ Club for Growth, "Ads Exposing Julio Gonzalez's Support for Death Panels," August 6, 2018
  32. ↑ Herald-Tribune, "Steube’s combat record questioned," July 23, 2018
  33. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  34. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  35. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts - Florida," accessed May 9, 2018
  36. ↑ Florida Demographics, "Florida Cities by Population," accessed May 9, 2018
  37. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  38. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017


Florida's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Ashley Moody (R)
Rick Scott (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Neal Dunn (R)
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
Anna Luna (R)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
Republican Party (22)
Democratic Party (8)


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