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Florida's 6th Congressional District election, 2026 (August 18 Democratic primary)

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← 2024
Florida's 6th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 12, 2026
Primary: August 18, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Florida

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
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, 2026
See also
Florida's 6th Congressional District
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Florida elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

A Democratic Party primary takes place on August 18, 2026, in Florida's 6th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
June 12, 2026
August 18, 2026
November 3, 2026



A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Florida utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[1][2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on Florida's 6th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

  • Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
  • Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 6

Robert Cooper II (D), Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera (D), James Stockton (D), and Eric Yonce (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 6 on August 18, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Robert Cooper II
Robert Cooper II  Candidate Connection
Image of Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera
Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera  Candidate Connection
Image of James Stockton
James Stockton
Image of Eric Yonce
Eric Yonce  Candidate Connection

There are no incumbents in this race.

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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Robert Cooper II

Image of Robert Cooper II

Website

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I grew up in Lake View, South Carolina, a small town where everyone knew each other, hard work was expected, and Friday night football brought us together. From an early age, I learned what service meant—whether it was cutting neighbors’ lawns or helping my uncle with handyman work. That commitment to service led me to Parris Island, where I took the oath to defend our nation as a United States Marine. I served in Iraq as a food service specialist, ensuring our Marines were mission-ready with the meals they needed on the front lines.Like many veterans, when I came home, I struggled to find purpose. My battle with addiction nearly cost me everything. I ended up moving to Florida in 2015 and my life took a turn and landed me inside the Hernando County jail. In jail I found my purpose, fighting for people who struggle with addiction and helping them achieve the gift of recovery. Together, my wife and I built a nonprofit recovery community organization—starting from our kitchen table and growing into a lifeline for people across Florida. My journey hasn’t been perfect. I’ve been knocked down, but I’ve never stopped fighting. Today, I’m ready to take that same fight to Washington. I know what it means to serve, to sacrifice, and to stand back up when life knocks you down. I am a Marine, a husband, a community leader, and a fighter. And now, I’m asking to be your next congressman for Florida’s 6th District."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Economic Stability and Opportunity for Every Family Every family in Florida’s Sixth District deserves the opportunity to build a stable and secure future. Rob Cooper supports an economy that works for working people, small businesses, and local communities, not just the wealthy or well-connected.

People First Care That Strengthens Families and Communities Strong communities depend on people having access to care, stability, and support. Rob believes public policy should put people first and strengthen families at every stage of life.

A Government That Shows Up and Gets Results Government should be responsive, accountable, and present in the communities it serves. Rob Cooper is committed to leadership that listens, shows up, and delivers real results for Florida’s Sixth District.

Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera

Image of Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "My name is Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera. I’ve spent over 15 years serving our community in EMS and currently work in law enforcement, where I continue to assist EMS professionals, doctors, and nurses in saving lives and protecting families. I’m running for Congress in Florida’s 6th District because I believe our government should work for working people and not against them. I’ve seen firsthand the struggles our residents face in healthcare, public safety, and affordability. I understand the challenges of our seniors trying to access Medicare, working families crushed by inflation, and children growing up without access to adequate health services. I’m stepping up to make sure our voices are heard in Washington and to fight for what’s right. I bring real-life frontline experience, not politics and a passion for public service grounded in action. It’s time for leadership that protects families, invests in our communities, and restores trust in government."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Healthcare must be affordable and accessible to everyone. I will work to reduce prescription drug costs, protect Medicare and Medicaid for our seniors, disabled, and children, and keep our hospitals and medical clinics open—especially in underserved communities.

As a first responder and law enforcement officer, I understand public safety. I’ll fight for community-focused policing, funding for hospitals, police departments and EMS, and mental health support for officers, responders, and the people we serve. I will work to make healthcare better by working with doctors on needs to make the medical field better.

Freedom means protecting your rights, your vote, and your voice. I will stand against government overreach and defend the rights of everyday Americans—especially working families, seniors, and veterans. I am pro second amendment as well as pro voting. But with all things come responsibility, that we must prioritize for our community-especially our children.

Eric Yonce

Image of Eric Yonce

WebsiteFacebookXYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Born in Florida and raised in the 6th District, Eric Yonce grew up with hard work, community, and public service in his blood—his mother led the local Realtor Association, and his father is a retired police officer. Eric spent 20+ years in big box retail, building a reputation for strong leadership, problem-solving, and helping people get results. In 2022, he completed a 2,000+ mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, proving his endurance, perseverance, and commitment to purpose. Since then, he’s entered real estate and launched his own small business, remodeling vintage Airstreams—turning challenges into opportunities every step of the way. Eric isn’t a career politician; he’s a neighbor, a worker, and a builder. He brings real-world experience and a people-first perspective to politics, ready to fight for practical solutions and a fairer future for the district he calls home."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Real Representation, Not a Political Career: I’m not a career politician, and I’m not running to use this office as a stepping stone. My focus is to bring true representation back: serving the people of Florida’s 6th District, listening to their needs, and delivering results that improve everyday life.

Protecting Our Communities and Environment: Our district faces unprecedented overdevelopment that strains local resources, threatens our natural environment, and puts our older developments at risks for flooding. I’ll fight for smart growth policies that protect our neighborhoods, waterways, and green spaces for generations to come.

Tackling the Cost of Living: Floridians are struggling as housing, energy, and everyday expenses continue to rise. I will champion policies that keep life affordable, support local businesses, and ensure everyone can thrive without being priced out of our community.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Florida

Election information in Florida: Aug. 18, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: July 20, 2026
  • By mail: Postmarked by July 20, 2026
  • Online: July 20, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 6, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 6, 2026
  • Online: Aug. 6, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 18, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 18, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Aug. 8, 2026 to Aug. 15, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (ET/CT)

Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Robert Cooper II Democratic Party $891 $0 $891 As of December 31, 2025
Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera Democratic Party $2,381 $1,629 $752 As of December 31, 2025
James Stockton Democratic Party $2,472 $523 $2,011 As of June 30, 2025
Eric Yonce Democratic Party $2,728 $1,593 $1,135 As of December 31, 2025

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. 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.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

  • District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
  • Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
  • State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.


Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

2023_01_03_fl_congressional_district_06.jpg
See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026
Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

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

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+14. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 14 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Florida's 6th the 80th most Republican district nationally.[3]

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Florida's 6th Congressional District
Kamala Harris Democratic PartyDonald Trump Republican Party
35.0%65.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Florida, 2024

Florida presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 17 Democratic wins
  • 15 Republican wins
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party D D D D D D D R D D D D D R R R D R R D R R R R D R R D D R R R
See also: Party control of Florida state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Florida's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Florida
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 8 8
Republican 2 20 22
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 28 30

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Florida's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Florida, October 2025
OfficeOfficeholder
GovernorRepublican Party Ron DeSantis
Lieutenant GovernorRepublican Party Jay Collins
Secretary of StateRepublican Party Cord Byrd
Attorney GeneralRepublican Party James Uthmeier

State legislature

Florida State Senate

Party As of January 2026
     Democratic Party 11
     Republican Party 27
     Other 1
     Vacancies 1
Total 40

Florida House of Representatives

Party As of January 2026
     Democratic Party 33
     Republican Party 84
     Other 0
     Vacancies 3
Total 120

Trifecta control

Florida Party Control: 1992-2025
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

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Florida in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Florida, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Florida U.S. House Ballot-qualified party 1% of the registered voters in the geographical area of candidacy $10,440 6/12/2026 Source
Florida U.S. House Unaffiliated 1% of the registered voters in the geographical area of candidacy $6,960 6/12/2026 Source

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 101.021," accessed November 26, 2025
  2. ↑ The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 97.055," accessed November 26, 2025
  3. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025


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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